East Beauregard’s Cinderella run through the Class 1A softball playoffs came to an end Friday with a 10-0, five-inning semifinal loss to LaSalle.

The Tigers advanced to face Montgomery in today’s state championship game.

The No. 11 Trojans (12-13) reached the tournament with upset wins over No. 6 Slaughter Community Charter and No. 3 Merryville, but could not handle an offensive onslaught from the No. 2 Tigers.

LaSalle blew the game open with a five-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Hayleigh Boyd. Kersie Nino added a homer run in the fifth inning.

Nino finished with two hits and drove in four runs to lead LaSalle’s 14-hit attack.

Reagann Smith and Sierra Burroughs had hits for East Beauregard.

“It was an exciting experience for us to play at the state tournament, something none of us have experienced before,” Trojans head coach Mandy Clendening said.

“You can see in the girls that there is a desire to come back. We have five seniors and a lot of young girls that love the game and love to work so hopefully we will be back.”

The Trojans reached state in Clendening’s first year as head coach. Even she could not have hoped for as much.

“It caught us all off guard making it here. I had never coached on the high school level,” she said.

“We worked really well as a team. We have a good sophomore pitcher (Camryn Reeves) and junior shortstop (Haylie Burnett) among our returnees. I’m looking forward to getting back to work with these girls. They love to work and I hope that we’ll be back in the state tournament next year.”