PALESTINE - Woodlawn scored six of its eight runs with two out as the Lady Bears capitalized on their scoring opportunities and then turned back a late rally to beat the defending state champion Riverside Lady Rebels, 8-4, in the Class 2A State Tournament semifinals Saturday afternoon at Palestine-Wheatley High School.To a degree, Woodlawn was able to exact a little payback after Riverside knocked the Lady Bears out of the playoffs last year with a 1-0 win in the state semifinals on the same field.The Lady Bears (29-6) advance to the Class 2A State Championship Game to face the Tuckerman Lady Bulldogs (27-9) at 1 p.m. Thursday at Majestic Park in Hot Springs. It is Woodlawn’s second trip to the state finals after making it to the Class 1A/2A fastpitch state4 championship game in 2002. After pitching a no-hitter against East Poinsett County in the state tournament opener, the Lady Bears’ Laci Rauls turned in another great start inside the circle as she struck out 14 over six-and-one-third innings.But Woodlawn Coach Matt Huitt said she was not feeling well before the game, and it was evident by the late innings that the warm, humid playing conditions were starting to take a toll on her. With the Lady Rebels having already scored one run in the top of the seventh, and runners at first and third with one out, Huitt brought in freshman Molly Shelby, who got the final two outs to secure the win.Rauls did have the luxury of an 8-1 lead entering the final frame thanks to the Lady Bears cashing in on their scoring opportunities.Woodlawn’s first run came in the bottom of the first when Jaci Hoyt, who led off with a double, scored on a one-out single by Rauls.The Lady Bears added two more runs with two out in the third.After a ground out and fly ball retired the first two batters in the third, Shelby and Addison Holland had back-to-back hits set up Karsyn Chastain for a two-run double into deep centerfiel...
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