It was a one game, winner-take-all situation and the Industrial girls had 13 hits on the night while the Lady Cats had four base hits over the seven innings.
“We played a very solid softball team in Industrial Friday night. They are a very good offensive team,” said S-T head coach Gary Epps.
“They hit the ball extremely well and when they get runners on base they make it very difficult on you with their short game.”
The local ladies threatened to score in the first by loading the bases.
“We started strong in the top of the first, but couldn’t produce any runs,” Epps said.
The S-T girls had runners on base in most innings but could not get the timely hit or a kind bounce that would have resulted in a Cobra error to help get a run across the plate.
The Cobras struck for two runs in the second, four more in the third, a single run in the fourth and then closed their scoring with two more runs in the fifth. It was a 9-0 game heading into the top of the sixth.
The Lady Cats scored one run as Aaliyah East reached on a leadoff walk. A fielder’s choice moved her along to second and into scoring position. A hard-hit ball off the bat of Breanna Hinds forces an error and scored East from second with the Lady Cats’ first run. The two-out rally died right there and it was a 9-1 contest.
S-T hurler Kayla Martinez held the Cobras scoreless in the bottom of the sixth and the Lady Cats were down to their last at-bats.
Another two-out rally in the seventh got the Lady Cats their final three runs. Susanna Yzaguirre walked with one out and a two-out blast from East that went to the center field fence scored Yzaguirre.
Kristen Gonzales then walked and a wild pitch put the S-T runners at second and third. Lexi Lopez came through with a two-run single to make the final 9-4.
“I thought we did what we had to do. When they hit at us we made plays and put outs on the board,” Epps said.
“When they found holes in our defense we limited them to the base they earned. Kayla did a great job pitching, forcing them to put the ball in play.”
East finished the night with one hit in two official trips to the plate with two walks and two runs scored along with the one RBI. Tabatha Crow and Gabbie Garibay each had one hit. Lopez had the seventh-inning two-run single to close out the S-T hitting.
“Offensively we had some opportunities but we just ran into a very good softball team in all areas. I’m very proud of our kids and what they have accomplished,” Epps said.
The Lady Cats finished the season with an overall mark of 9-14.
Bruce Harper is the sports editor at the Bee-Picayune and can be reached at 358-2550, ext. 123, or at sports@mySouTex.com.
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