PORTLAND – It was as close as you can get for eight innings. The host Lady Wildcats got the winning run in the bottom of the eighth to edge the Lady Trojan varsity softball club, 2-1, in the season finale.

“It was a great game. The girls were focused and played with a lot of pride and heart,” said Lady Trojan head coach Edward Bocanegra.

“I am very proud of them on how they came out and were determined and focused.”

The teams went scoreless over the first three and a half innings as the pitchers ruled the contest. The home team scored on one hit, a Beeville error and a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead.

It was still a 1-0 game heading into the top of the sixth. Theresa Amador walked to lead things off for the Lady Trojans. Alyssa Bates rapped a single to left-center to move Amador to second. Priscilla Koenig moved the runners up a base and into scoring position with a ground out to first base.

Amador hustled home on a passed ball with Rebekah Mendoza at the plate for the Beeville girls. Bates moved up to third base. Another passed ball brought Bates to the plate, but she was called out to end the threat.

That made the score 1-1 though, and the Lady Trojans and Lady Wildcats went into the last inning of regulation tied.

Neither team scored in the seventh, so the teams had to go into extra innings to decide the affair. In the Beeville eighth, Krystall Cuellar reached on a single to right. Cuellar moved up into scoring position at second on a passed ball, but the Beeville girls could not get her home.

G-P placed runners at the corners on a hit and two Beeville errors. An intentional walk followed to load the bases. A liner to left was caught by outfielder Bates, who then rifled the ball back to catcher Kymberly Wolfe to try and catch the runner from third. The play was close, but the throw popped away from Wolfe, and the umpire ruled the runner was safe. The Lady Wildcats won 2-1.

“Rebecca De Los Santos took the mound for us and kept the G-P hitters off balance all night. Our defense was awesome last night,” said Bocanegra.

“Our outfield was catching everything in the air, getting to balls in the gaps. Our infield stopped everything on the ground and make some critical plays when we needed them.”