By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer
Despite the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons holding a lead over the Hanna Lady Golden Eagles throughout their game, the Lady Eagles didn’t go away easily.
The Lady Falcons earned a 6-2 win after neutralizing a bases-loaded situation during the bottom of the seventh Friday night at Hanna.
“I thought we did a good job,” Los Fresnos coach Traci Blackman said. “It’s always nice to be challenged a little bit to see how we’re going to adjust to things and how we’re going to react, and I thought we did a good job of staying in control and we didn’t let that get to us.”
Los Fresnos scored its first run of the game when leadoff batter Maya Guevara hit an inside-the-park home run. Hanna right fielder Briana Ramirez initially stepped toward the infield but watched the ball sail over her head. Her throw to the cutoff man was mishandled, and Guevara galloped around the bases to give the Lady Falcons a 1-0 lead.
The winning run for Los Fresnos was delivered via a two-run single from Samantha Padilla during the top of the fourth inning that brought Melanie Loa and Vicky Rodriguez home. Before Padilla stepped to the plate, Blackman pulled her aside.
“I told her that I believed in her and to go out and find her pitch,” she said.
Hanna responded, though, and tallied a pair of runs during the following inning. Rebekah Galarza hit a leadoff single to center field, and Britany Rey followed with a double to center.
After Lauren Rivera hit a line drive to the shortstop, Vanessa Gracia was safe after a ground ball hit to first base was bobbled. The error scored Galarza from third. Salome McManus next hit a single to left field to score Rey.
The Lady Eagles’ offense was dormant for four innings. And even though they put two runs on the scoreboard, Hanna coach Rey Lerma wasn’t satisfied.
“I’m a little frustrated because some of the things I expected us to do, we lacked on,” he said. “(Marisela Gaytan) is one of the better pitchers in the district and they’re one of the better teams, but I felt it could have been a much closer game if we played to our potential.
“I expected our hitting to be a little bit better. We didn’t start hitting until late. I think we were trying a little too hard early on, and our hitting didn’t come through.”
Los Fresnos added three additional runs during the sixth inning to extend their lead to 6-2.
Stephanie Perez hit a leadoff single and stole second base, and Rodriguez drew a walk on five pitches. Padilla next reached on a bunt that resulted in a throwing error, allowing Perez and Rodriguez to score. Padilla then crossed home plate after a single by Gaytan.
Hanna threatened in the seventh when they loaded the bases. After the first two batters were retired, Lauren Rivera drew a walk, Gracia hit a single to right field and McManus reached on a ground ball to shortstop.
However, the Lady Eagles failed to drive home a run when Sammy Ibarra popped out to first base to end the game.
Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.