Texarkana knocks off Lady Cats
El Dorado met Texarkana in softball action for the fourth time this season Saturday. This time, the Lady Razorbacks came out on top, taking a 3-2 decision in the game for fifth place in the 6A-West Tournament, held at the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex.
An unearned run in the top of the seventh proved to be the difference.
"Each game was getting closer," said El Dorado coach Chris Ezell. "I thought it was well played. It just came down to not being able to make a play here or there. We hit the ball well, but just right at them. Like I said, I thought it was a well-played game. We just came out with the short stick."
Leading 2-0, Texarkana added an insurance run in
the seventh. With two outs, Adison Wright hit a dribbler down the first base line. El Dorado pitcher Grace Hargett tried to field the ball with her gloved hand but couldn't make the throw to first. Jordan Stanley singled to left before Wright came in to score on a passed ball.
The run proved significant in the bottom of the seventh when, after Hargett reached on an error, Lea Jones golfed a two-run home run over the fence in leftfield.
Texarkana pitcher Kaitlyn Fortenberry got the next three batters in order to end the game.
Hargett limited the Lady Razorbacks to just five hits. Hargett struck out nine batters, walked three and hit one.
Texarkana scored two runs in the third on a walk, stolen base and singles by Stanley and Kailey Burns.
El Dorado threatened in the fifth. Ava Dunn hit a two-out double. Grace Murry followed with a deep drive to left that was caught at the fence.
The Lady Wildcats had seven hits, including two by Hargett. Of the 21 outs, six were ground balls to third and four were ground outs to short.
Defensively, Murry made a running catch in centerfield and second baseman Payton Scarlett made a sliding stop on a ground ball up the middle to save a run.