DRIPPING SPRINGS — The Dripping Springs High School softball team shutout out Round Rock Stony Point High School, 10-0 and 4-0, in a bi-district playoff best of three game series to advance to the Area round of playoffs April 24-25.
It was a somewhat shaky start in the first game of the series at Dripping Springs for the starting pitcher Sadie Bradford, who gave up four walks, most early in the game, but later settled in to keep Stony Point off the scoreboard with five strikeouts and an errorless defense.
“Sometimes, she’s just really into it,” catcher Lorelei Gamble said about Bradford. “So, I go out and just tell her to take a couple of deep breaths.”
Stony Point pitchers gave up eight walks in the series opener. Gamble, who has 21 home runs on the season, 62 RBI and a .564 batting average, was walked each time at bat for a total of eight times in the series, four times in each game.
Gamble was walked in her first time at bat and in the bottom of the second inning with two outs and the bases loaded, she was intentionally walked in her next at bat, which scored a run and gave the Lady Tigers a 3-0 lead.
“It’s frustrating, but I know my team is behind me and will make them pay for it,” Gamble said.
The bases were still loaded when the next batter, Bradford, walked to score a run and then, Elianna Amato walked to score a run for a 5-0 lead before a ground out ended the inning.
The Lady Tigers scored a run in the third inning and in the fourth inning, doubles by Jai-Lynn Flores and Bradford, along with a squeeze bunt by Amato, pushed three runs across the plate for a 9-0 lead. Bradford got two strikeouts and a line drive to third base for an out to keep Stony Point scoreless in the top of the fifth inning. In the bottom of the frame, Green singled and stole second base. The speedy Emma Phillips beat out a bunt and Green advanced to third base. Gamble was again walked to load the bases. Green was put out on a force play at home before Stony Point walked Jai-Lynn Flores which scored the ‘run rule’ winning run for the 10-0 win.
“[I am] glad to be back,” Flores said about returning to the lineup after a long recovery from an injury. “I knew I wouldn’t get a lot to look at, but also knew one way or the other we were going to score that run.”
In the second game of the series, a total of 10 walks again plagued the Stony Point Tigers pitching, while Dripping Springs starting pitcher Tatum Green allowed five hits, didn’t give up a walk or a run while pitching a complete seven inning game. Bradford was two for four at the plate with a double. Flores was one for two at the plate, had a pair of walks and two RBI.
Next, the Lady Tigers (25-8-1 overall) will meet Helotes O’Connor High School (22-3 overall) at a place and time to be determined.
