Petrolia’s Lindy Alexander has accomplished pretty much everything she could have the past four years on the softball diamond.

She’s claimed a district title and led the Lady Pirates to two consecutive regional finals. She has earned all-state recognition and is a three-time TRN Diamond Dozen selection, taking home MVP honors last season.

The senior has won 73 games in the circle and her batting statistics are downright gaudy. Twenty-two career homers to go along with 217 RBIs and a batting average of .692 her senior season.

But the one box left unchecked on the McLennan College signee’s resume is a trip to the Class 2A state tournament.

She watched the Lady Pirates compete in Austin as an eighth-grader. Now Alexander and four other seniors will have one more chance to make their dreams become a reality when Petrolia meets Albany in the Region I-2A finals.

The opening game in the best-of-three series is set for 5 p.m. Thursday in Graham. The teams will return to Young County at 5 p.m. Saturday to finish up what could be a high-scoring series.

The Lady Pirates, who returned eight starters, have used last year’s close call as motivation after they dropped a pair of one-run games to Archer City in the regional finals.

“It definitely hurt not making it last year,” Alexander said. “We’ve been working a lot harder, we do more reps, we do things after school that we really aren’t asked to do. I think a lot of us put in more time.”

Alexander (22-7, 3.22 ERA) is one of five senior starters for the Lady Pirates, who are averaging 12.9 runs during a seven-game postseason winning streak. First baseman Samantha Deford plus outfielders Jaidyn Jetton, Brooklyn Bunch and Brionna Townsend are all wrapping up their high school careers.

Alexander admitted “it takes a lot to get there” and knows Albany represents the biggest obstacle the Lady Pirates have faced this postseason. The Lady Lions swept 8-2A champion Windthorst in the regional quarterfinals and have averaged 14.7 runs in the postseason.

Albany won District 7-2A and advanced to the regional finals by taking down Ralls last week 18-14 and 14-10. With both teams sizzling at the plate, runs shouldn’t be at a premium.

“I think we’ll have to score eight runs to win the game. They’re a solid-hitting team all the way through the lineup,” Petrolia coach Eric Simmons said. “The last few weeks we’ve been able to hit the ball well. We’ve focused a lot of our attention on hitting.

“I think you’re going to have to score at least eight, maybe more. Defense is going to play a big part of it. Hopefully they can hit it at us and hopefully we can make some plays.”

This isn’t the first time Petrolia and Albany have met in the regional finals. The Lady Lions knocked out the Lady Pirates in three games in both the 2011 and 2013 postseasons, the only two times Albany has advanced to state.

It may not be the last time they meet either, but it certainly is Alexander’s final opportunity to capture a regional title and earn a trip to UT’s McCombs Field.

“It would honestly be the biggest moment out of all the four years,” Alexander said of a potential state trip. “Being my senior year and all the friendships that we made. Most of my friends are the lower classmen so just being able to spend that time with them would be really great.”

Petrolia leaders 

Batting average: Lindy Alexander .692; Raeley Mataska .459; Samantha Deford .438; Haygen Fleming .374; Brooklyn Bunch .349. 

Runs: Lindy Alexander 64; Jaidyn Jetton 55; Raeley Mataska 43; Brooklyn Bunch 42; Haygen Fleming 42. 

RBIs: Lindy Alexander 59; Raeley Mataska 54; Samantha Deford 46; Kelsie Whalen 31; Brooklyn Bunch 27. 

Doubles: Lindy Alexander 29; Samantha Deford 10; Jaidyn Jetton 9; Kelsie Whalen 9; Raeley Mataska 9. 

Triples: Raeley Mataska 7; Lindy Alexander 5; Haygen Fleming 3; Jaidyn Jetton 3; Samantha Deford 3. 

Homers: Lindy Alexander 4; Raeley Mataska 3; Brooklyn Bunch 2; Haygen Fleming 2; Samantha Deford 2.