Neches is the Class 1A softball runner-up. (Brandon Ogden/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

AUSTIN — Jessi Sumpter tied her own Class 1A state tournament strikeout record with 14, but Jonesboro was able to plate three runs on the way to a 3-1 victory over Neches in the Class 1A softball championship game Wednesday night at Red and Charline McCombs Field for the Lady Eagles’ first title in program history.

Sumpter struck out 14 batters on Tuesday in a 7-2 win over reigning Class 1A champion Hermleigh to send Neches to the championship game. Her 14 strikeouts broke the previous record of 10, which she had in 2023 against D’Hanis, sharing the previous record with Chireno’s Morgan Collier (2022), Gail Borden Country’s Rexie Sanders (2021) and Ector’s Destiny Whitburn (2018).

On Wednesday, Sumpter — an Angelina College signee — struck out 14 once again.

“She has been wonderful,” Neches head softball coach Jenna Jenkins said. “She has thrown every inning of every high school softball game the past four years. That’s going to make me emotional. Losing her is going to be tough. She’s such a huge part of our success. We’ve done our best to build our team around her. We didn’t show it very well tonight. But she is a special athlete. She’s going to go on to play at Angelina College next year and do great things for them. I’m so proud of her, and I hate that we couldn’t do it for her.”

Sumpter’s first 10 outs recorded on Wednesday were strikeouts before a lineout back to Sumpter by Leighla Hernandez for the second out in the fourth inning. Sumpter allowed three runs on five hits with the 14 strikeouts and three walks in six innings.

Neches got the first run of the game in the top of the second. A walk by Rylee Jowell and singles by Lacie Macias and Madi Gordon loaded the bases with one out. Libby Raine reached on a fielder’s choice, and Jowell scored to give the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Jonesboro broke through in the third inning. Emily Turner hit an RBI triple and scored on a wild pitch with two outs to give the Lady Eagles a 2-1 lead.

Jonesboro scored an insurance run in the fifth inning on an RBI groundout by Adalyna Andrade to score Lynlee Deats, giving the Lady Eagles a 3-1 lead.

Sumpter struck out the first two batters of the bottom of the sixth before a single by Ella Gustin. With Sumpter looking for the record-breaking punchout, Neches catcher Jowell caught Gustin stealing to end the inning.

The theme for Jonesboro was standout defense. Kylee Gould did it in left field for the second out in the fourth. Julie Henderson made a jumping catch in center field to rob Sumpter of extra bases to lead off the fifth, and Kyleigh Walker stretched out at first for the third out of the fifth. And the game ended with Sumpter hitting a shot to third base with Madi Gordon, who walked with one out, on first base, and Gustin snagged it to give Jonesboro the victory and the championship.

“I’m really proud of them,” Jenkins said. “Obviously this is not what we expected and not what we planned on at all. They did everything better. They played better defense, and they hit the ball better. We could not make adjustments offensively tonight. It was not one of our best defensive games. We just completely did not show up and it was disappointing.”

Andrade allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks in seven innings.

Turner — the championship game Most Valuable Player — went 3-for-3, falling a home run short of the cycle. Hernandez and Gustin also had hits for Jonesboro (23-7).

Joely Jenkins had two hits for Neches (16-3). Macias and Gordon each had a hit.

It was the final game for Neches seniors Raine, Macias and Sumpter.

“I love them so much,” Coach Jenkins said. “They were the first group when I came out to Neches, and I’ve been with them since they were freshmen.”