Rodriguez lifts Austin in opener

Maroons rally past Dripping Springs, go up 1-0 in series.

After striking out in her first two at-bats Thursday night, Andrea Rodriguez picked an opportune time to launch her first homer of the season.

Rodriguez hit a two-out, three-run shot to lift Austin High’s softball team to a come-from-behind 5-3 victory over Dripping Springs in the opener of the Class 5A regional quarterfinal series at Westlake High. The bestof-three series was scheduled to resume Friday night.

With the Maroons trailing 2-0 entering the sixth inning, Jolene Fuentez led off with a single to right before Makayla Dominguez reached on an error. Dripping Springs senior right-hander Kiele Miller, a Creighton signee, fanned the next two hitters, and Rodriguez found herself down 1-2 in the count before she drove a pitch well over the fence in right-center.

“I knew Miller was throwing me outside,” Rodriguez said, “so I just moved up on the plate, took an easy swing and just made good contact.’

The Maroons (20-5) added two more runs in the inning as Catherine Sustaita drove in Daniela Camacho and Caitlyn Rangel, who each had singled after Rodriguez’s homer. The Tigers scored their final run in the sixth when Haley Odell homered to left.

Austin High’s Danielle Serna remained unbeaten on the mound this season, pushing her record to 11-0 as the Maroons recorded their 17th straight victory. She scattered five hits and struck out six. Despite 13 strikeouts, Miller suffered just her third loss in 20 decisions this spring.

After a scoreless 2½ innings, Dripping Springs scored twice in the third. Emily Barefield walked and advanced to second on a passed ball before being driven in by Ryann Campbell. Campbell later scored on a throwing error.

Dripping Springs (29-7) saw its eight-game winning streak snapped.

Wimberley 4, Columbus 3: Jacqueline Johnson’s threerun homer helped the Lady Texans win the opener of a best-of-three regional quarterfinal series. Game 2 was scheduled for Friday night at Columbus.