Lady Mustangs even series behind Lanier’s pitching, perfect defense

COMMERCE, Texas—Hughes Springs softball coach Tisha Thompson had an ace up her sleeve Friday at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Sophomore pitcher Zoe Lanier had Lone Oak (31-6) off-balance the entire game at the John Cain Family Softball Field, blanking the Lady Buffs on three hits, 4-0.

The Lady Mustangs’ win evens the best-of-three Region II-3A semifinal series at 1-1. The decisive third game is scheduled for the same site at 2 p.m. today. The winner advances against the Hooks-Howe series, which was tied at 1-1 Friday evening.

Thompson went into the contest saying she needed at least four good innings from Lanier, who pitched

Hughes Springs to the quarterfinals a year ago as a freshman.

“I got the total package from Zoe, and that was the best outcome I could have hoped for,” Thompson said. “All we ever ask from Zoe is to let the defense work for her.”

That’s exactly what happened in the first two innings.

Alexis Kearney singled to center with one out in the first, but was doubled off when losing pitcher Mariah Nichols lined out to Kensley Echols at shortstop.

In the second Ashley Hahn lined a hit to right-center, but she was thrown out at second by Peyton Blythe, who cut the ball off before it could reach the fence.

Nichols, who held the Mustangs to three hits in Thursday’s 3-2 win, was brilliant again, allowing only three balls out of the infield, none until the fifth inning.

“I still thing we’re going to hit her a little better tomorrow,” Thompson said. “She’s all they’ve got, and Marisol Kennedy will be rested for tomorrow, and we’ve got a confident Zoe Lanier if we need her.”

Lanier struck out five and walked one, throwing mostly curveballs. She faced 23 batters in the game, two over the minimum.

Blythe delivered the Mustangs’ biggest hit, a two-run single in the fifth to spark a three-run uprising. She came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out.

“Peyton did exactly what I asked her to do; I told her to treat it like a hit-and-run, hit something hard and low,” Thompson said. “That’s exactly what she did.”

Hughes Springs (31-3) scored the only run it would need in the first with the help of a Lone Oak throwing error.

Kennedi Northam legged out an infield hit with one out. She circled the bases when Shelbie Fickling grounded out to second, and the first baseman threw the ball into left-center trying to get Northam, who had strayed off the bag.

Echols was the first Mustang to hit the ball out of the infield with a fifth-inning single to right. Blythe’s hit was the second, and Marisol Kennedy singled to right in the sixth.