10 run inning propels Tigerettes over Muleshoe
By Melissa McCaghren
Slatonite GM
7 and 13: The pair is seen as the luckiest and unluckiest numbers out there.
It also was the final score Thursday evening (April 25) in Sundown as the Tigerettes
took on the Muleshoe Lady Mules.
For the Tigerettes however, 13 was their lucky number and they hoisted the golden glove trophy after winning 13-7 in Bi-District play.
The beginning may not have felt like the conclusion however. “We came out pretty nervous, uptight, we really didn’t play very well today,” admitted Coach Langston after the game, adding that for many of the players it was their first ever playoff game.
“(To) play the way we did, come out with the win is huge. We made plays when we had to and got the hits that we needed.”
Things started off a bit bumpy as the Tigerettes struggled and the Lady Mules scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The score remained the same in the second inning, where excellent plays by both
teams.
Then, the Tigerettes came roaring back, scoring 10 runs in the third inning.
Lizzie Thomas started the rally for the Tigerettes with a walk, then was brought home with a Kamryn Gibbs triple. It continued with hits by Madi Englund and KK McCord.
Some Muleshoe errors, walks, a hit by pitch and a double helped add on runs
until a ground out ended the inning.
Every batter: Thomas, Sam Gatica, Gibbs, Englund, McCord, Justyne Zapata, Amaya Flores, Alexis Rubio and Aryanna Zapata crossed the plate at least once in the inning.
Langston said it helped them wake up.
“We had a couple of hits (and) a couple of mistakes by them that kind of got our energy going and we loosened up, and with us if you give us a couple of extra outs with our bats, we can take on quite a few runs pretty quick,” said Langston.
In the fourth, Rubio scored in Justyne Zapata on a sacrifice fly to make the score 11-3.
“We had a couple of players step up and Kamryn Gibbs hit the ball well today like she does,” said Langston. “And Alexis Rubio – she’s kind of had a tough year and her bat’s coming around and she hit the ball really well today.”
Muleshoe battled back in the fifth inning, scoring two to narrow Slaton’s lead to six.
The Tigerettes responded back however in the sixth, scoring two runs off of hits by
Rubio and Lizzie Thomas.
The Lady Mules brought in two more of their own in the inning to keep the game at 13-7, but the Tigerettes were able to keep hold of the lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Gatica made a diving catch in the outfield to seal the Tigerette’s win.
Langston said he was happy about the win, but they had a lot to work on for the upcoming Area series against Kermit.
The Yellowjackets defeated Grape Creek to advance.
“They can be good. If we show up and play and just do what we do I think we’ll be in a good spot,” he said.
“But I mean, if you don’t show up and play then you’re going to be in trouble and they’re not anybody you can overlook or look past.
“We’re going to have to show up and if we play like we did today, we may not win it next week. So we’ve just got to clean up a few things, get the nerves out and hopefully just relax and play.”
The Tigerettes began their best two of three game series May 2 against the Yellowjackets.
Game two will be Friday (May 3) at 5:30 p.m., with game three if necessary following 30 minutes after the end of the second game.
The Tigerettes won 24-22 in game one. More information on the game will be in next Thursday’s edition of The Slatonite.
