
England's walk off home run sends Sam Houston to finals
Sam Houston's Kallie England is all smiles and head coach Beth Domingue celebrates in the background after England hit a walk-off 2-run home run on Saturday in the Non-select Division I semifinals at North Frasch Park in Sulphur. No. 1 Sam Houston beat No. 4 St. Amant 5-3 in eight inning to advance to the finals for the first time since 2015. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press)
SULPHUR – No. 1 Sam Houston's high-powered offense came alive at the right time Saturday to dethrone three-time defending Non-select Division I champion No. 4 St. Amant in extra innings 5-3 in the semifinals at North Frasch Park.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Aubrey Hobbs led off with a single, and Kallie England hit her fifth home run to send the Broncos to the finals in walk-off style.
With the Broncos' (29-2) 26-game win streak and a chance to play for a state championship hanging in the balance, Kailyn Mire hit a two-run home run, her first of the year, to left field to tie the game at 3-3 with one out in the seventh inning.
While they have averaged 11.4 runs and 10.8 hits a game, the Broncos managed just three hits after six innings against the Gators' Braylee Decoetau until Mire and England came up big.
It was the third consecutive season the teams ran into each other in the playoffs and Sam Houston's first postseason win over St. Amant since 2015. St. Amant won 9-8 in the quarterfinals last season and 4-0 in the finals in 2023. Sam Houston will play No. 3 Dutchtown on Sunday at 3 p.m. in for the Non-select Division I state title. Sam Houston's last state championship was in 2015.
After five scoreless innings, St. Amant took a 3-0 lead on a three-run home run to center field by Brooke Rabalais.
Sam Houston came up with three crucial double plays that spoiled scoring opportunities for St. Amant. Sam Houston turned its first double play in the opening frame when Ryleigh Moran lined out to pitcher Kailyn Mire, who doubled up Bailey Ducote at first base. In the second inning, the Gators got back-to-back singles, but the Broncos turned a 6-4-3 double play. The biggest one was in the eighth inning when Moran hit a line drive to shortstop Aubrey Portie, who caught Ducote off first base. Had the Broncos not turned the double play, the back-to-back singles by Kinley Meche and Rabalais that followed could have added to the Gators' lead.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Broncos' Aqib Talib Against College Football HOF Snub
Broncos' Aqib Talib Against College Football HOF Snub originally appeared on Athlon Sports. On Monday, the National Football Foundation announced its list of former college football players and coaches nominated for enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2026. The ballot included six former Denver Broncos, most notably defensive lineman Elvis Dumervil and tight end Vernon Davis. Advertisement But among the players affiliated with the Broncos who did not earn a nomination was Aqib Talib, who spent four seasons with the team (2014-2017). Talib took to social media upon hearing the news, offering some choice words to the NFF. He posted about his displeasure with the decision on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday. "Y'all tell me. Am I College football Hall of Fame? Go check the numbers (Offense & Defense) and accolades and let me know!" Talib wrote in the post. "Im just saying NFF! This was on my mind this morning." Retired American football player Aqib Talib during the second quarter between the Atlanta Falcons against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile Chenoy-Imagn Images Talib appeared in 34 games between 2005 and 2007 at Kansas, where he played at both cornerback and wide receiver. As a wideout, he caught nine passes for 224 yards and five touchdowns; as a cornerback, he made 162 tackles and caught 13 interceptions that he returned for 322 combined yards. Talib made the All-Big 12 First Team twice, in addition to being a consensus All-American and the winner of the Jack Tatum Trophy (given to the top defensive back in college football) in 2007. Advertisement Talib went on to have a 12-year career in the NFL with five different teams: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Broncos, Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins. He won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos, made five Pro Bowl rosters, earned one nod to the All-Pro First Team. Overall, Talib is credited with 462 tackles, 35 interceptions (resulting in 752 return yards and 10 touchdowns), 125 passes defended and one sack as a professional. Related: Sean Payton Reveals Positional Plan for Broncos' 2025 First-Rounder This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Broncos' Sean Payton Impressed with Frank Crum's Play
Broncos' Sean Payton Impressed with Frank Crum's Play originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Denver Broncos more than likely have their starting offensive tackles set in stone for the 2025 season. Garrett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey – who played the overwhelming majority of the Broncos' snaps at left and right tackle, respectively, last year – are expected to reprise these roles in the fall. Advertisement The makeup of the depth charts behind Bolles and McGlinchey at both tackle spots is less of a certainty, with multiple players on the Broncos' 90-man roster vying for game time reps. Among the offensive linemen competing for the team's swing role is Frank Crum, who received praise from head coach Sean Payton for strong play during OTAs. "He's extremely athletic. It's always harder on the big guys because we're not in pads. He can move his feet really well," Payton told reporters on Thursday. "Again, he's a young player who, when you go through these installations – and for him, it's his fourth or fifth time now – you're able to play a little faster.' Wyoming offensive lineman Frank Crum (OL13) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Lee-Imagn Images Crum originally signed with the Broncos as a free agent after all 32 NFL teams passed on him during the 2024 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound offensive tackle went on to appear in six regular season games during his rookie season, playing eight snaps on offense and an additional 24 on special teams, according to Pro Football Focus. Advertisement Prior to joining the Broncos, Crum played six seasons of college football at Wyoming, where he appeared in 55 games and started in 48 of them. He redshirted in 2018 and served as a backup for much of the 2019 campaign, but he took a starting job with Cowboys the following year and kept it for the rest of his collegiate career. While in Wyoming, Crum was named to the All-Mountain West Third Team in 2022 and was elevated to the First Team in 2023. Related: Broncos' Aqib Talib Takes to Social Media After College Football HOF Snub This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Broncos' Second Round Pick RJ Harvey Waiting for Guaranteed Money Before Signing Contract
Broncos' Second Round Pick RJ Harvey Waiting for Guaranteed Money Before Signing Contract originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When the Denver Broncos selected University of Central Florida running back RJ Harvey as their second-round pick this year, the 24-year-old was overjoyed. 'That call, that was the most joyful moment of my life," Harvey said, after getting the news. "It's a blessing. I'm just so excited." Advertisement But six weeks later, the 2024 third-team All-American who ranked second in the Big 12 with 1,577 rushing yards still has not signed a contract with the Broncos, according to Jon Heath of USA Today Broncoswire. The holdup has nothing to do with the money Denver offered. Based on his draft position, the value of Harvey's contract is set at $7,354,592 over four years, according to Spotrac. The particular details, however, must be negotiated, including, perhaps most importantly, the amount of money that will be guaranteed. And that's the hang-up, according to the Broncoswire report. But the problem is not confined to Denver. According to information from The Football Database, 30 of the 32 second-round picks remained unsigned as of June 2. Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (37) during rookie minicamp at Broncos Chenoy-Imagn Images If Broncos fans are looking for someone to blame, look no further than the front offices of the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans. Those two teams held the first two picks in the second round. The Browns took UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger, and the Texans, up next, selected Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins. Advertisement Both teams gave their second-round picks fully guaranteed contracts, something ESPN NFL insider Mike Reiss termed 'a rarity.' Generally, fully guaranteed contracts are reserved for first-rounders only. But with the new precedent set, it appears that the other 30 second-rounders want fully guaranteed deals as well. 'Agents for every other player picked in the second round will undoubtedly want fully guaranteed contracts for their clients as well,' Heath wrote. 'So until that trend is broken, Harvey is probably in no rush to be the first second-round pick in the class to settle for less.' With Harvey being described as the best running back in the draft outside of No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty, should his non-signing worry Broncos fans? Advertisement Probably not. Most experts expect that Harvey and other second-rounders will eventually sign. In the meantime, however, it may take some patience waiting for the impasse caused by the Browns and Texans to get resolved. Related: Broncos' Sean Payton Impressed with Second-Year OT's Play During Offseason This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.