Lady Dawgs run-rule Belton in 12-6A softball opener, 11-1

By Tony Adams

Belton Journal 

There are nights when things come together. 

On Tuesday night at Lady Tiger Field, it came together for the Copperas Cove Lady Dawgs’ softball team, as they took on Belton in the District 12-6A opener.

Cove rapped Belton pitching for 15 hits, while Brooke Schmidt scattered eight hits in the Lady Dawgs’ 11-1, run-rule win over the Lady Tigers.

It was Belton’s first loss in district play in almost three years to the day, having lost to Midway, 7-6, on March 12, 2018.

The Lady Dawgs scored in the top of the first inning off of Belton starting pitcher Kaylee Jordan. Larisa Perez’s sacrifice fly scored Megan Hunt to give Cove a 1-0 lead.

Belton threatened in the bottom of the second inning. Bethany Sherwood led off with a standup double. With one out, McKayla Owens walked, and Ramsey Curran singled to left field. Sherwood was tagged out at the play for the second out, and Schmidt struck out Jordan looking to leave two runners on base.

Cove sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the third inning. JoJo Hair singled to leave off the inning, and with one out, Hunt walked. Schmidt drove in Hair with a single down the left field line. Perez followed with an RBI double, and Alina Salazar’s RBI groundout put Cove up 5-0.

The defense helped Schmidt in the bottom of the third inning. Jacci Myers started the inning being hit by a pitch, and McKenzie Drake walked. Mia Garza sacrificed the pair up a base. Schmidt induced a Kaylee Rodriguez fly ball to Hair at second base and Sherwood’s flyout to Emma Wasiak in left center to get out of the jam.

Schmidt helped her own cause at the plate, as she drove in courtesy runner Alejandra Espinoza and Hair with two-run single to increase the Lady Dawgs’ lead to seven runs, 7-0.

Belton finally broke the shutout in the bottom of the fourth inning. Owens, Curran and reliever Aizlenn Canava singled to load the bases with one out. Myers’ sacrifice fly to center field scored Owens. However, Curran was tagged out at second base to complete the double play and end the fourth inning with Copperas Cove leading by six runs, 7-1.

Canava retired the side in the Cove fifth inning but allowed five hits in the sixth inning. Wasiak’s triple scored Hair, Hunt singled in Wasiak, Perez doubled home Hunt, and Salazar doubled home Perez to give the Lady Dawgs a 10-run lead, 11-1.

Belton threatened to push the game out of run-rule territory in the bottom of the sixth inning. Curran and Canava singled, and advanced to second and third on an error. Myers lined out to Hair at second base to end the game.

Schmidt and Hunt each had three hits, with Schmidt and Perez each driving home three runs. Hunt and Hair each scored three times for Cove, who stranded six runners on base.

Schmidt picked up the win in the circle, as she tossed six innings, allowed one run on eight hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out two.

Curran led the Tigers with three hits and Canava added two, as the Tigers stranded eight runners on base.

Jordan picked up the loss in the circle for the Tigers. She pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowed seven runs on 10 hits, struck out one and walked one. Canava pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief, allowed four runs on five hits, walked one and struck out one.

Copperas Cove plays Grandview on Thursday and Belton hosts Bryan on Friday.

Cove JV emerges with 4-3 win

The Belton Tigers JV softball team hosted the Copperas Cove Lady Dawgs JV team to open district on Tuesday evening at Lady Tiger Field.

The Tigers and Lady Dawgs scrapped for four innings on the diamond. A bases-loaded rally with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning fell short as time expired, as the Tigers dropped a heartbreaker to Cove, 4-3.

Madison Gallagher got the start for the Tigers and allowed a run in each of the first two innings.

Azaelia Williams made her way around the bases to account for Belton’s first run. She singled, stole second base, advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1.

Belton got the equalizer in the third inning. Aluna Schorn singled and moved to third on Williams’ single. Schorn scored on a wild pitch to knot the game up a 2-2.

Kaylee Thompson came on in relief in the top of the fourth inning. A two-run double put the Lady Dawgs up, 4-2.

Thompson single and reached second on a bobble by the left fielder. Vera Oliver was inserted as a courtesy runner and scored on Brooke Genera’s single. A walk to Cheyenna Davis and single by Jennifer Rodriguez loaded the bases. However, a strikeout and a lineout ended the game.

Williams had two of Belton’s six hits, as the Tigers left five runners on base.

Gallagher did not register in the decision. She pitched three innings, allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out two. Thompson was charged with the loss, as she pitched one inning, allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit, walked one and struck out two.

The Tigers host Bryan on Friday night.