Torres Hits Grand Slam As Lady Wolves Bomb Hoxie 15-3

— The 2022 state tournament provided a first class education in managing on the field game strategy and situational tactics for Lincoln’s softball team during a 15-3 win over Hoxie.

Alexandra Torres belted a grand slam, her first home run of the season, to polish off an eight-run fifth inning and end the game while scoring four times for the Lady Wolves. Torres came close to knocking the ball out of the ballpark more than once during the regular season, including a strong bash against Prairie Grove, but every time she got hold of a pitch the wind did her in by holding up the ball and opponents were able to catch it.

This time Torres, who singled in the top of the fifth and tripled and drove in five runs, wouldn’t be denied, prompting first-year Lincoln head coach Brittany Engel to celebrate the achievement.

“She finally hit a grand slam in the state tournament to run-rule Hoxie. She had several that would have been home runs if the wind hadn’t blown so hard,” Engel said.

Four other players scored twice for Lincoln ( 29- 6) while a Hoxie player Engel described as “super fast,” Jaecie Brown, accounted for all three runs for the Lady Mustangs (15-10). Brown’s capacity to scoot around the bases challenged the Lady Wolves but, while they couldn’t contain her, they did prevent her teammates from scoring.

“Their leadoff hitter, Jaecie Brown, was their only player to score on us. She scored three times, she’s crazy fast,” Engel said.

Brown began the game with a leadoff triple for Hoxie. The next batter got on with a hard shot to third. Lincoln held the runner at third but the Lady Mustangs now had runners at the corners with no outs. Lincoln tried to set up a first-andthird play but Hoxie may have anticipated that and Brown stole home to grab a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Lincoln, however, allowed no more runs and answered immediately.

Leadoff hitter Ryleigh Landrum doubled into left field and Brinkley Moreton was hit by a pitch. Lily Riherd drew a walk to load the bases. Kristen Rhine singled into center field to drive in the tying run, evening the score at 1-1.

With one out Hoxie then staged its defense, giving up a run to Moreton but getting Riherd out, and the Lady Wolves settled for a 2-1 lead after one inning of play.

Moreton struck out the side in the top of the second, giving Lincoln a chance to increase its lead in the bottom half of the inning, and the Lady Wolves capitalized.

The pressure of trying to perform at state began to get to the Lady Mustangs.

Alexandra Torres walked and Zella Pomeroy was hit by a pitch, bringing up the top of the order. Landrum smacked her second double of the game into left field, driving in a run to up the margin to 3- 1. Moreton walked to load the bases for the second consecutive inning. Saylor Stidham also walked, scoring a run, and Landrum scored on a passed ball to make it 5-1.

Brown tripled into left field in the top of the third and scored on a groundout, narrowing Lincoln’s lead to 5-2.

The Lady Wolves got that run back and added another one in the bottom of the third.

Rhine singled and scored on a Torres triple to increase the disparity to 6-2 with four runs separating the teams. Pomeroy got aboard when she was hit by a pitch for the second time in the contest. Landrum drove Lincoln’s seventh run in with a sacrifice fly. A pitch hit Moreton but with two runners on Hoxie got Stidham to hit a fly ball which they caught for the third out.

Neither team scored in the fourth and the score remained 7-2 in favor of Lincoln going into the fifth.

Brown was hit by a pitch, putting the speedster on base in the top of the fifth. Hoxie utilized her speed to full advantage and bunted with one out which allowed Brown to get all the way to third.

“That happened because of how fast she was,” Engel said. “She was one of the fastest, if not the fastest, player we’ve seen this year.”

Brown scored her third run of the day when one of her teammates singled into right field, trimming Lincoln’s lead to 7-3. The Lady Wolves prevented a rally and maintained a fourrun advantage when they came up to bat.

Torres hit a groundball to third and got on for a single. Pomeroy plated her by tripling into right field, getting the lead back to five runs at 8-3. Lincoln was on a roll. Landrum drove in a run with a groundout to shortstop. Moreton’s solo home run expanded the lead to 10-3. Stidham singled into left field and moved to third on a passed ball as the wheels started to fall off for Hoxie.

Riherd and Rhine each singled and Addie Pershall walked, loading the bases for Torres, whose grand slam finished off the Lady Mustangs with Lincoln claiming a 15-3 five inning run-rule victory to advance to the Class 3A State quarterfinals.