ROY HESS | Staff Writer
LOS FRESNOS — So far, the new softball season is going quite well for the Lyford Lady Bulldogs.
Thanks to a pair of wins during Thursday’s opening day of the inaugural Los Fresnos-Port Isabel Tournament, the Lady Bulldogs are 10-0 on the season and playing some pretty solid ball.
The 10-team, round-robin tournament continues through Saturday at Los Fresnos and Port Isabel. Each team is guaranteed five games.
On Thursday, Lyford routed Hidalgo 20-0 to start the day at the tournament and finished it with a 9-4 triumph against Rio Hondo.
“Our team has a lot of talent and I am positive that we’re going to go really far this season with all the talent we have,” said Jerrica Rojas, the Lady Bulldogs’ ace pitcher who is a junior and three-year member of the varsity squad. “I’m proud of my girls. Hopefully we keep going and do well in District (32-3A) and the playoffs.”
The Lady Bulldogs are two-time defending district champions. Their game against Rio Hondo matched them against the defending District 32-4A champion Lady Bobcats.
“I think our pitching definitely stood out with Jerrica in the circle,” Lady Bobcats coach Joey Rios said. “Jerrica always does a great job for us. She gets ahead (in the count) early on and is able to play confidently, especially knowing the defense she has behind her.
“Our bats really woke up against Hidalgo, and it carried over into the game against Rio Hondo,” Rios added. “It was great to see from these young girls. We’re definitely at this tournament for the (strong) competition. I think Rio Hondo does a great job bringing the intensity, and I’m sure San Antonio (Veterans) Memorial is going to bring it, too, when we play them in our next game on Friday morning. We’re just excited about the competition here, we really are.”
Against the Lady Bobcats, it was 1-1 after the first inning before Lyford went up 2-1 during the top of the second. A five-run outburst in the top of the fourth made it 7-1, and Rio Hondo added a solo tally during the bottom of the fourth as it became 7-2. Each team scored a pair of runs during the fifth inning to account for the final score of 9-4.
Rojas went the distance for the five-inning win against Rio Hondo. She had seven strikeouts while giving up five walks and allowing five hits.
When Rio Hondo loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth, Rojas eventually ended the threat with back-to-back strikeouts to retire the side after the Lady Bulldogs had given up one run that closed the gap to 7-2.
“Against Rio Hondo, we had a really good game,” Rojas said. “What made me proud about my team was, even though it was a little bit of a roller coaster throughout the game, as soon as we started hitting the ball (in the fourth inning), we started doing really well (and scored five runs).
“We had some ups and downs on defense,” she added. “But it was OK because we worked together as a team to finish the game off.”
Lyford outhit Rio Hondo 9-5.
Leadoff batter Hannah Garza led Lyford at the plate by going 2-for-3 with a single, a double and an RBI. Rojas also provided a highlight at the plate with a three-run triple during the fourth.
For Rio Hondo (4-4), which lost to San Antonio Veterans Memorial 4-1 earlier Thursday, the top batters against Lyford were five different players with a single apiece. The two with RBI singles were Abbie Torris and Kelsey Pizarro.