By Moses Leos III.
The ability to dig deep fueled a late-inning rally for the Lehman Lady Lobos softball team Tuesday afternoon at Lobo Field.
Two runs scored in the fifth with two outs pushed Lehman past the Seguin Matadors 4-3. Lehman evens their district mark at 2-2. The Lobos travel to Kerrville Tivy for a 1 p.m. game Thursday.
The Matadors got the early jump in the first inning. With two runners on and no outs, Seguin’s Kaylee Atchley and Alexis Nixon strung back-to-back RBI singles, giving the Matadors a 2-0 lead.
Seguin’s lead increased in the third. With runners on second and third base, Atchley reached first on an error; the miscue led to a run scoring, increasing Seguin’s lead to 3-0.
Lobos head coach Bill Holmes said Lehman pitcher Sam Villegas was “a little too careful” to start out. She also depended on the rise ball too much, which kept her behind in the count.
“I wanted her to throw a knee-high curve, or a knee-high screw ball,” Holmes said. “[It] opened up her pitching repertoire.”
The change worked, as Villegas allowed only one hit in the final four innings, giving up no runs. Villegas went all seven innings, giving up five hits, two walks and striking out four.
After a few miscues early, Villegas’ defense backed her up in the latter innings. Third-baseman Erin Mendoza made the biggest impact, making several extra-base hit robbing snags. Meanwhile, Villegas worked to adjust to the Matador bats.
“I just had to keep throwing; it was coming along,” she said. “When [the batters] came up again, I tried to not throw the same pitch [twice].”
However, the Lobo’s struggles stemmed on the offensive end – specifically clutch hits with runners on base.
Lobo bats stranded eight base runners, five in the first two innings, concerning Holmes.
“We had lead off runners on in the first two innings, he said. “We have to cash in on those.”
Lehman cashed in during the third, scoring two unearned runs, aided by Seguin errors. Catcher Kynslee Noriega and Cruz brought home the runs, pulling the Lobos within one at 3-2.
Noriega proved a pivotal cog in the fifth, where the Lobos struck again. However, they did so with two outs already tallied.
First baseman Lauren Pizzini reached first on an error then advanced to second via a passed ball.
Noriega then crushed a double to the left field wall, bringing in Pizzini and tying the score.
Having the opportunity to see Seguin pitcher Kylee Osbourn proved crucial.
“We were seeing the ball,” Noriega said. “We got the spin down after the first at-bat.”
Villegas then helped her own cause at the next at bat. A smash into left field scored the go-ahead run, giving the Lobos a 4-3 lead.
She then held her ground in the circle to secure the win.
For Holmes, the win solidifies their stance in district. But he believes nine or ten district wins are needed to stay in the hunt.
Continued progress is the key for Noriega.
“We have to keep winning, and keep pushing ourselves,” she said.
