Published: May 10, 2008 08:25 pm            

Lady Texans ousted

SAN ANTONIO – The Wimberley Lady Texans pieced together a late rally but in the end came up short as Medina Valley held on for a 6-3 win to sweep the Class 3A regional quarterfinal series 2-0 at the Northeast ISD Softball Complex Friday.

Trailing 6-0 heading into their final at-bat, the Lady Texans collected four hits (one more than they throughout the previous 11 innings of the series), and with the help of two Medina Valley errors, put three runs on the board before the Lady Panthers closed out the game and the series.

“We were hitting the ball. We got to have some fun, that’s what it’s about,” Wimberley head coach Holli McGuire said of the rally. “Somebody has to lose, and if we’re going to be the losing team, then at least play hard.”

Medina Valley (34-7) appeared to be headed for another shutout victory. Through six innings, pitcher Mysia Proctor had allowed just two Wimberley baserunners, and one point had retired 16 consecutive batters. Down to their final three outs of the season, the Lady Texans made good on their vow to not lie down.

“We came out here and said, ‘We’re not going to lay down,’” shortstop Keely Simmons said. “We made a pact that we were going to talk and we were going to make it to where, if we were going to lose, we were going to go out with a fight and leave it all on the field.”

Simmons, the lone senior on the Wimberley’s roster, proved to be the team leader one final time heading into the Texans’ final at-bat, leading off the inning with a single to left field. After Proctor induced Morgan Anderson to pop out, the rally was almost quelled on the next batter. But Katie Knerr’s routine grounder to second baseman Amanda Kwapich was bobbled, allowing both runners to reach base safely.

Wanting to move both runners into scoring position, Lindsey Leinneweber put down a hard bunt along the left side of the infield. Third baseman Crystal Keller, the winning pitcher Thursday night, uncorked a wild throw over her first baseman’s head, allowing both Simmons and Knerr to score. Leinneweber, who would have beaten out the throw anyway, moved all the way to third base on the error.

Krysta Cain kept the Texan rally going, knocking a base hit into left field to score Leinneweber. It was the only Wimberley RBI of the series.

Proctor got Sidney Jackson to strike out for the second out of the inning, but Maddy Clark, the ninth hitter in the lineup, kept the rally going with a single down the left field line. Clark also made several tough catches in left field during the game.

With two out and two on, Kelsey Allmand, representing the tying run came to the plate, having reached base on an infield single in the sixth inning. Allmand hit a hard line drive up the middle, but Panther shortstop Samantha Paniagua snared it to end the game.

Anderson absorbed the loss, giving up five runs over 4 1/3 innings, though only two of those runs were earned. Eryn Barroso pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up a run and scattering four hits.

Barroso was in the on-deck circle when the game ended, and represented the potential go-ahead run. In the first inning, she knocked a double off the 210-sign in straightaway centerfield.

Though the end result was the same, Friday’s game proved to be a more acceptable way to end the season according to McGuire. The Texans lost the first game of the series 10-0 after five innings Thursday.

“Last night was awful. I can’t stomach that,” McGuire said. “Today, everything was different – the way we got on the bus, the way we rode here – everything was a lot more relaxed. I wish today could have been yesterday and then they (Wimberley’s players) would know that they have a chance when they get out there.”

The future looks bright for the Lady Texans, who finished the season with a record of 22-13, claiming the District 25-3A championship. Though they will be in a tougher district, the core of the team will return, as Simmons is the teams only graduating senior.

“She meant a lot. We’ll miss her. She has been a solid senior,” McGuire said. “She’s a good kid. There’s nothing but good things you can say about her.”

        

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