Cordero’s two-run single in 5th propels Cougarettes
New Braunfels Canyon softball coach Kevin Randle said his team has a different feel and look about itself. After graduating a senior class that a year ago was integral in the Cougarettes playing for the UIL Class 6A state championship, that much was expected.
The names and faces might have changed, but the results remain the same.
Top-ranked Canyon authored strong opening and closing statements in defeating No. 4 East Central 7-5 on Thursday in a back-and-forth District 26-6A battle.
“I think it was good for us just to see how we’re going to react in a close game,” Randle said. “I told our girls, ‘(East Central) can put up runs. You’ve got to stay focused all the way through.’ But our girls reacted well. They stepped up to the challenge. They came through in some clutch situations for us.”
The biggest moment came in the bottom of the fifth inning with the contest knotted at 5-5.
Shortstop Sydney Belvin and pitcher Aliyah Pritchett recorded back-to-back singles to open the frame and first baseman Hunter Vestal followed with a walk to load the bases with no outs. Catcher KK Cordero singled to bring home Belvin and Pritchett with the decisive runs.
“It was pretty big because I’ve been struggling with my batting a little bit,” Cordero said. “To bring in those two runs, especially against this team (was big).”
East Central (14-1, 3-1), No. 17 in the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings, had tied it at 5-5 in the top half of the inning when first baseman Jazmine Torres hit a three-run homer to right field. Outfielder MacKenzie Dugi started the inning by reaching on an error and outfielder Lourdes Bacon reached on an infield hit.
Pritchett, a two-time ExpressNews Super Team selection who hit a solo home run in the third inning, kept East Central at bay. She allowed a one-out single in the sixth and struck out the side in order in the seventh.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the team,” said Pritchett, a Baylor signee. “It was pretty big that we all came together.”
Canyon (18-4, 4-0) was in harmony from the start.
The Cougarettes took charge in the first inning. They built a 4-0 advantage as outfielder Catherine Kuhn hit a one-out solo home run and Cordero drew a bases-loaded walk to score Belvin. Pritchett scored on an infield single by outfielder Isabel Armendariz and Vestal crossed the plate on third baseman Andrea Gutierrez’s single.
East Central pitcher Holly Ayala came on in relief with the bases loaded and one out and got the Hornets out of the rest of the frame unscathed.
Catcher Cierra Gutierrez’s two-out, two-run single pulled East Central within 4-2 before eventually tying the contest.
“I’m proud of our kids,” East Central coach Shelly Hayes said. “I knew it was going to be a battle. Canyon is an elite program, but we’re knocking on their door. When you’re one of the best teams in the state, you want to be that team. I think we have the girls to do it this year.”