Ladycats extend win streak to 14 games

Spring has barely begun, but the Ladycats are burning up the diamond like the dog days of summer. Aledo (21-4-1 overall, 9-0 in District 5-5A) pushed its win streak to 14 after a pair of wins over Saginaw and Forney in the past week.

The Ladycats earned a 13-3 run-rule victory over the visiting Lady Rough Riders on Thursday, April 6. That performance was followed by an extra-innings affair that lasted 10 frames before Aledo put Forney away on the road, 2-0, on Tuesday, April 11.

On Tuesday the duo of Taylor McKean and Brenlee Gonzales combined to throw 10 shutout innings, giving up just two hits while striking out 14 along the way. Ladycat hurlers have now kept opponents off the scoreboard a dozen times this season.

Defensively, the Ladycats stood tall behind their hurlers. Aledo kept the error column clean on the scoreboard making all the routine plays, and even some not-so-routine ones, as well.

With the game still tied heading into the home half of the seventh inning, Delaney Rosser caught a hot shot hit right back the box at second base for the first Forney out of the frame.

Aledo’s pitchers helped themselves out in the defensive effort, as well. In the bottom of the eighth, Gonzales earned the first out of her outing on the bump fielding a comebacker to the mound before getting the putout with a clean throw to Texas Ray at first base.

Both teams put forth a tremendous performance in the classic pitchers’ duel. It wasn’t until the top of the 10th inning that Aledo finally put the winning rally together.

Ray earned her way on the base path the hard way as she ate the 3-1 offering from Forney’s hurler. With runners coming at a premium all night for both teams, head coach Heather Myers made the decision to bring in pinch runner Maddy Flora.

In an 0-2 hole early in her at bat with a runner on first, Presley Hull smoked a line drive to deep right field. Both Ladycats cranked up the afterburners as they sprinted around the bases. Flora scored easily while Hull pulled into third with an RBI triple to put Aledo on the board with the late advantage.

Hull wouldn’t be stuck at third base for long. Ana Flores, the next Ladycat to the plate, hit the ball to the right side of the infield, easily scoring Hull. Flores got on her horse coming out of the batter’s box to beat out the throw from Forney’s second baseman for an infield single.

Aledo’s scoring ended there, but the damage was already done. Gonzales sat the Lady Jackrabbits down in order to earn the win in a hard-fought battle for the Ladycats.

Ladycats light up scoreboard in win over Saginaw

Since the start of the season, Aledo has been an offensive juggernaut. In virtually every game this season, they’ve lit up the scoreboard like Times Square at Christmas.

Thursday’s matchup with the visiting Lady Rough Riders was no exception. Aledo accounted for eight extra-base hits in the game en route to a blowout win over Saginaw.

Nathalie Touchet had herself a ballgame. She threw a complete game giving up a pair of earned runs on six hits while striking out eight batters.

Her winning effort on the mound was only surpassed by her performance at the plate. Touchet went 2-for-3 at the dish with both of her hits landing in another zip code.

Not to be outdone, Claire Byars hit her second long ball of the season to get the scoring onslaught underway for the Ladycats in the bottom of the first inning.

Flores, Hull, Ray, Addie Perry, and Reagan Davis each hit a double in the game, as well.

With the season winding to a close, the Ladycats take their undefeated district record on the road to face Brewer’s Lady Bears on Friday, April 14. Aledo bested Brewer, 6-0, last month when the Lady Bears came to visit.

First pitch in Brewer is slated for 7 p.m.

Reagan Davis (left) catches a fly ball during the game April 6 against Saginaw High School. Maddy Jarvis backs up Davis in the outfield.

Aledo 2, Forney 0

April 11

Ladycats 000 000 000 2- 2 8 0

Forney      000 000 000 0 - 0 2 3

Aledo hitting: Addie Perry BB; Texas Ray 1-for-3, 2 HBP; Presley Hull 3-for-5, 2B, 3B; Ana Flores 1-for-4, RBI, BB; Taylor McKean BB; Brenlee Gonzales 1-for-2, 2B, BB; Maddy Jarvis 1-for-4; Reagan Davis 1-for-4, SB.

Aledo pitching: Taylor McKean 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K; Brenlee Gonzales 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 5 K.

Aledo 13, Saginaw 3

April 6                              R   H  E

Saginaw       001 11 - 3   6  2

Ladycats      271 3X - 13 13 2

Aledo hitting: Perry 2-for-3, 2B, HPB; Claire Byars 1-for-1, HR, RBI, 2 BB; Chloe Cox RBI; Delaney Rosser 1-for-3, RBI; Hull 3-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI; Ray 1-for-2, 2B, HBP, RBI; Flores 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Nathalie Touchet 2-for-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI; Jarvis 1-for-3, 2 SB; Davis 1-for-3, 2B.

Aledo pitching: Touchet 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 8 K.