PEARLAND — Pearland and Brazoswood have a unique history with one another and there have been a couple of times in their history, that whoever won the game or series between these two teams ended up advancing to the state softball tournament.

The Lady Oilers entered the game as the underdog last week against the No. 2 team in the state rankings and most local sports experts didn't give Pearland too much of a chance to pull this one and done game out of the playoffs.

Head coach Laneigh Clark has been at the helm of the Pearland softball program since 1998 and she has three trips to the state tournament with one state championship in 2010. She also has a very young team that has continued to get better and better throughout the season.

Clark has said in the past that you play one game at a time and it doesn't matter what has happened in the past. Each game is one more step to the ultimate goal of winning the region tournament and then the state tournament. The 5-0 win over Brazoswood has her team one more step closer to that goal.

“When they walked on the bus, there was just something about them, that I knew they were ready to go,” Clark said.

The Lady Oilers got outstanding pitching from sophomore Alyssa Denham who allowed just three hits against the powerful Brazoswood bats, struck out 10, and issued only two walks.

“I’m so incredibly proud of Alyssa, she did amazing," said senior shortstop Kristen Cuyos. "You can’t even explain how she did…I can’t explain it."

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TIME TO CELEBRATE - The Pearland Lady Oilers knocked off No. 2 state-ranked Brazoswood 5-0 to advance to the 5A Region III semifinals. The Lady O's show their appreciation to the Pearland fans who showed up at the game last Friday.

An hour and a half delay rain didn't dampen the spirits of the players and fans. Pearland will face Bellaire beginning Thursday, May 15 at Baytown Sterling HS at 7:00 p.m. Game 2 will be on Friday, May 16 at Clear Springs HS at 6:30 p.m. Game 3 (if needed) will be 30 mins after Game 2. (Photo by Rick Skeen)

Rylee Spell also gave Pearland the knockout punch they needed with a key two-run homer in the top of the seventh to give the Lady Oilers two more insurance runs to make the final score 5-0.

Pearland began the scoring in the top of the third when Lindsey Stewart singled, moved to second on a fielder's choice, stole third, and scored on an error by the catcher for the 1-0 lead.

The top of the fourth produced two more runs when Kristen Cuyos opened up with a single to centerfield, moved to second on a sacrifice by Sydney Gutierrez, advanced to third on a pass ball, and scored on a single by Madeline Myers.

Alexa Montemayor kept the inning going with a single to left after Myers had stolen second. With runners at the corners and one out, Madison Clements hit into a fielder's choice at third that allowed Myers to score for the 3-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Denham had command of the mound as Brazoswood was frustrated at the plate. Denham and the Pearland defense continued to stymie the Lady Bucs in a game that would determine the future of the playoffs for both teams.

Brazoswood threatened to score in the bottom of the second when they got a single and a walk putting two runners on base with two outs. But Denham struck out the next batter to end the frame. The tall righthander would issue only two harmless singles the rest of the way retiring 15-of-the-next-17 batters with no hitter moving past second base.

The seventh inning produced the two-run long ball by Spell who launched the roundtripper over the centerfield wall for the nail in the coffin for Brazoswood.

Pearland got eight hits for their five runs led by Gutierrez who was 2-for-3. Montemayor was 1-for-2. Spell was 1-for-3 with one run scored and two RBIs. Sydney McKay was 1-for-4 with one run scored. Stewart was 1-for-3 with one run scored. Cuyos was 1-for-2 with one run scored.

Pearland will face Bellaire beginning Thursday, May 15 at Baytown Sterling HS at 7:00 p.m. Game 2 will be on Friday, May 16 at Clear Springs HS at 6:30 p.m. Game 3 (if needed) will be 30 mins after Game 2.