Miscues add up as Cowgirls fall short in bid for repeat
Errors, walks, wild pitches dot title game defeat
AUSTIN — The escape routes the D'hanis Cowgirls discovered in their state semifinal weren't there Wednesday as Hermleigh took advantage of a flurry of miscues to record a 9-0 victory in the Class 1A state championship game at Red & Charline Mccombs Field.
The Cowgirls never found their footing after committing four errors, issuing 10 walks and tossing seven wild pitches.
“It's tough to know that we didn't play our best game today,” D'hanis coach Jose Martinez said. “Our girls played their hearts out. We fell behind early and we struggled to get back in the game. We just could come up with a timely hit. We've been able to do that all year, and today it just didn't happen.”
The Cardinals (22-6) won their first state championship
in their third trip to the title game.
Cardinals pitcher Summer Smith tamed the hardhitting Cowgirls, who entered the tournament with a .460 (234 for 517) team average. Smith struck out five and allowed five hits. She also went 3 for 4 and had three RBIS at the plate and was named championship game MVP.
“A lot of props to go (Smith),” Martinez said. “She was on today. She moved the ball in and out on us. At no point did we get a string of hits together.”
The Cowgirls (14-7-1) were aiming for back-toback titles after defeating Hermleigh 6-2 last year.
D'hanis made its fifth straight appearance in the state tournament and searched for this third championship in that span.
“It's exciting to be playing on the last day of the season,” D'hanis senior shortstop Mabry Herrmann said. “Our season wasn't cut short at all, so that's all you can really wish for. Obviously, a win would have made things a lot sweeter, but we went out here and competed, and some days just aren't your days.”
The Cowgirls worked hard to get back to the state tournament following an 0-5-1 start to the season.
“We have a great group of girls, and we succeed in everything we do,” senior second baseman Jolie Frosch said. “Even though we didn't get what we wanted today, I'm really proud of us for getting this far.”
Getting to Wednesday's final took work, too. The Cowgirls pulled out a 3-2 victory against Neches in Tuesday's state semifinal despite eight walks and four wild pitches.
The Cowgirls didn't have that type of luck Wednesday.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the first inning on two errors and three wild pitches. Hermleigh's run in the third came when Victoria Martinez was hit by pitcher Kayla Looper after the Cardinals loaded the bases with walks. A fielding error led to two runs in the fourth for a 6-0 lead.
Smith's run-scoring double in the sixth inning gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead. Lexi Greenwood made it 9-0 with a two-run single in the seventh.
“We are pretty used to battling back, so I was really worried (early),” Herrmann said. “I was just hoping at some point we'd kick in on a little run, and it just didn't happen for us.”