Time to turn tables, Broncos look for new ending against old playoff nemesis
Sam Houston's Chloe Peshoff has hit nine home runs this season for the Non-select Division I No. 1 Broncos. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press)
The last two seasons have ended the same way for the Sam Houston Broncos softball team — at the hands of the St. Amant Gators.
The top-seeded Broncos (28-2) get another chance to reverse that trend when they play the three-time defending state champion No. 4 Gators (23-9) in the Non-select Division I semifinals in the state tournament at 5 p.m. today at North Frasch Park in Sulphur.
'We have to come out with energy because we know that they can perform well just like us,' Sam Houston senior third baseman Carolina Eidson said. 'Maybe we will be the ones to send them home this year.'
Eidson, and senior first baseman Aubrey Hobbs, are two of a handful of Broncos who experienced last year's loss to the Gators in the quarterfinals and the 2023 state finals.
'I feel like we run into them every year, but I think we will have it if we just play our game and don't make it bigger than it is,' Hobbs said.
St. Amant won 4-0 in 2023 and slipped by the Broncos 9-8 last season. Broncos head coach Beth Domingue described the 2024 meeting as feeling like a state tournament game.
'The crowd was really intense,' Domingue said. 'There was a lot of close plays. There was a lot of offense. I think everybody knew the importance of it.'
Recently, the Broncos have been doing everything right. They have won 26 consecutive games, and have an explosive offense and a strong pitcher in Kailyn Mire (27-2, 1.75, ERA) who has 13 shutouts. Sam Houston has crushed 55 home runs and scored 11.6 runs a game. Junior Aubrey Portie (14), sophomore Layla Landry (14) and Eidson (11) have more than 10 home runs apiece.
'I think we have performed very well offensively and defensively,' Hobbs said. 'I think that our lineup is stacked offensively.
'I think 1-9 all of them can hit. That is a plus. I think it is better than last year. Our lineup really hasn't changed. I think we have done an excellent job.'
Sam Houston run-ruled St. Amant 12-1 on March 26, but Domingue said she is not worried about her team becoming complacent.
'We haven't talked about that, but I think this is a bigger game on a bigger stage,' Domingue said. 'I think it's going to be a battle no matter what. I don't think we're worried about what we did a month ago or whatever it was because it obviously doesn't mean anything.'
The teams have met in the playoffs four times since 2013, and the victor has gone on to win a state championship each time. St. Amant won the state championship after beating the Broncos in 2023 and 2024. Sam Houston beat the Gators in the semifinals in 2013 and '15 on their way to the program's fourth and fifth state championships.
'They have a great program and great coaching staff, but it does seem like we always have to run into them,' Domingue said. 'I hate that we ended up on the same side of the bracket as them, just like last year. At least it was later down the line than last year. I think to be the best, you got to beat the best.'
This year's winner will take on the winner of No. 3 Dutchtown (24-9) and No. 7 Walker (22-8) in the finals at 3 p.m. Saturday.
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