Lady Stangs lose first two games at tourney in Abilene
Sweetwater lost its first two games on Thursday to start a three-day softball tournament in Abilene.
The Lady Mustangs fell to Eastland 9-8 in their opener and lost 8-1 to Graham later Thursday. The two defeats dropped them to 5-5 for the still young season.
In the first game Sweetwater forced three ties but never led and fell one run short after Eastland broke the tie with a run in the top of the seventh inning.
Kaitlin Vera was placed on second base to start the bottom of the seventh and advanced to third on Phoenix Walker’s sacrifice but a pair of strikeouts ended the game, after Sweetwater had earlier fought back from deficits of 5-0, 6-5 and 8-6.
Sweetwater scored five runs in the second inning to force the first tie. Kendall Daniel had a two-RBI single and Lauren Biera and Lexi Maestas also had RBI hits, and Sweetwater’s other run scored on an error.
Sweetwater tied it again at 6 in the fifth when Daniel walked and eventually came home on a passed ball. After falling behind 8-6, the Lady Mustangs tied it for the last time at 8-8 in the sixth, the first extra inning, on Rebecca Castillo’s two-RBI single with two outs, but Sweetwater left the bases loaded to force another inning.
Biera scored two runs for Sweetwater and scoring once were Daniel, Vera, Maestas, Walker, Mikayla Ashley and Alexis HerediaGonzales. Ashley was the hard luck loser, allowing no earned runs with 11 strikeouts on the mound over seven innings with just one walk against Eastland.
Against Graham in the second game, Sweetwater scored its run in the third when Ashley singled to lead off the inning and scored on an RBI double by Castillo to tie the game at 1. Graham regained the lead in the bottom of the frame and added six more runs after that.
Sweetwater varsity will host tournament.
Highland varsity will host dual tournament with Loraine.
Blackwell varsity athletes at Veribest meet.
Sweetwater varsity will be hosting tournament.
Sweetwater varsity girls are at Region I-4A preview at Lubbock’s Shadow Hills Golf Course.
Sweetwater varsity boys at Andrews tournament.
Sweetwater girls qualifiers compete at regional meet in Big Spring.
Sweetwater varsity plays at Turf Wars tournament in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Sweetwater junior varsity will play at Lady Cub Classic in Brownfield.
Sweetwater middle school will host tournament.