The afternoon before the district championship game, Houston softball coach Conaley Aaron called together his five seniors for a conversation.
“They left that meeting and said, ‘Let’s finish this story,’” Aaron said. “Here we are.”
The Lady Tigers wrote the latest chapter for their program – and their careers – with a dominant 11-1 six-inning victory Wednesday afternoon over Bourbon in the championship game of the Class 2 District 3 tournament in Potosi.
PHOTOS: View images from the Lady Tigers’ district championship win
Houston, which won its fourth district title in five years and fifth overall, advances into the state playoffs and will travel to District 4 winner Thayer at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
More success for seniors
Houston’s five seniors – Natalie Clinton, Lilly Kincaid, Katy Evans, Gracyn McNiell and Ashley Gilbert – have been part of the program for three championships. Evans is a four-year starter while McNiell, Kincaid and Gilbert have started the last three. Clinton joined the starting lineup this season.
“This group of seniors has been together awhile,” said Kincaid, who has played with McNiell and Evans since they were 9 years old. “It feels great to win another district title together.”
“I love playing with them,” Evans said. “You don’t know when the last game will be, so winning means a lot.”
Loose, humble and confident
The Lady Tigers were relaxed from the get-go for a championship game. McNiell said it was “unlike any bus ride we’ve had” as they blasted music, laughed and put red glitter in each other’s hair. As they were lined up on the third-base line awaiting the national anthem, the players held hands and did the wave from one end to the other.
“They were the loosest I’ve seen them all year and it showed in the game,” Aaron said. “Our goal was to relax and have fun – and that’s what we did.”
After giving up a run in the top of the first, Houston responded with 4 consecutive hits from seniors – a leadoff single by McNiell, doubles from Kincaid and Evans, and a single by Gilbert – to spark a five-run rally that put the Lady Tigers ahead 5-1. Bourbon never scored again.
“We came in with a humble confidence,” said McNiell, who had a bite of cake on the field with freshman teammate Ember Green after the game, “and we got it done.”
Kincaid masterful in circle
Using her offspeed pitches early in counts, Kincaid was masterful in a complete-game victory. The right-hander scattered 5 hits over 6 innings while striking out 5 and walking just 1. The outing lowered her season ERA to 3.91.
“They swing at a lot of first pitches, so I was using my changeup and dropball more than my fastball,” Kincaid said. “It was really effective.”
Kincaid had 1-2-3 innings in the third, fourth and sixth innings.
“That’s probably the best I’ve seen Lilly throw all season. She dominated and controlled the game from the get-go,” Aaron said. “In the sixth inning we challenged her with 12 pitches. She came in and said, ‘Coach, I only threw 10.’”
Contributions up and down lineup
The Houston offense, which has scored a program-best 322 runs to rank 17th all-time in state history, got hits from 8 different players in the lineup. Evans was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles. Jenna Warner had a pair of hits and drove in two runs. McNiell, Kincaid, Evans and Claire Benoist all scored twice.
“Like Bourbon’s coach said after the game,” Aaron said, “we made it look effortless.”
Success continues for softball program
The Houston softball team continued an impressive run since moving to the spring season in 2019.
By winning its eighth game in a row, the Lady Tigers are 18-7 in 2026. The program is a combined 119-42 the last seven seasons for a .739 winning percentage.
HHS is 9-0 in district play at Potosi’s Trojan Sports Complex with district titles in 2023, 24 and 26. The Lady Tigers won this year’s three district games by a combined score of 53-5.
“We weren’t nervous because we’ve been here before,” Kincaid said. “We knew if we played our best and they played their best, that we would win.”
Aaron wins title in first year
Aaron, who guided the Lady Tigers to another title in his first season leading the program, said he was proud of contributions each player made for title No. 5. His players celebrated the championship with a surprise attack of silly string on him and the coaching staff after hoisting the district plaque
“It’s all about the girls,” he said.
