IOTA — Iota softball has accomplished something it hadn’t done in 22 years — reach the state semifinals. But for the Lady Bulldogs, the job isn’t finished.
Iota heads to Sulphur as the lowest remaining seed in the Division II non-select bracket after shutting out North Vermilion in the quarterfinals to punch its ticket.
While some may label the Lady Bulldogs a dark horse, that narrative hasn’t reached the clubhouse.
“We just go out there and compete, and that’s all that matters, really,” senior pitcher Saige Cherry said. “It doesn’t really matter who we play, if the seed’s higher or whatever. I think what we have, we have the right kind of people to get the job done.”
“I feel like we just have the same approach no matter who we play,” senior third baseman Ainsley Lacombe added. “We just have to go out there, compete and do our best. Let the chips fall where they fall.”
The Lady Bulldogs have built that confidence through consistent play down the stretch. Iota closed the regular season winning 11 of its last 12 games, finishing 23-7 and earning the No. 5 seed.
That late surge helped transform belief into results.
“We just knew our approaches were getting better,” senior right fielder Aubrey Crotchet said. “We kept them up like that and we just had to keep picking each other up in the field, just keep holding them, stop them from getting any runs scored.”
This postseason run carries added meaning for the program and its community. Iota’s last appearance in a state title game came in 2004, and many of those ties still remain.
“We have a great community backing us,” head coach Steven Thomas said. “Some of those pieces that were on that team are still in the community. We have teachers at our elementary school and middle school that were part of that team. Just to go make them proud and go compete at the highest stage in the state.”
That support has been felt by the players throughout the week.
“The amount of congratulations I’ve got has been crazy,” junior catcher Charli Sonnier said. “As a community, everyone’s so excited, definitely, because softball is such a big part over here.”
Now, the Lady Bulldogs turn their attention to their next challenge.
Iota will face No. 1 seed North DeSoto in the state semifinals Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Sulphur.
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