With a 17-7 victory over Liberty Tuesday at Carter Field, the Houston High School softball team completed an undefeated run through South Central Association play and secured the outright conference championship for 2024.
“It’s an awesome accomplishment,” said head coach Jim Moore. “It was one of our big goals for the year, and to make it happen is definitely fulfilling. It’s a testament to a lot of hard work and believing in each other, and that’s what’s so fun about this team.”
The visiting Lady Eagles got off to a fast start, tallying 3 runs in the top of the first inning by getting runners on base with a single and a hit batter, and then scoring on a sacrifice fly and a 2-run home run.
But the Lady Tigers responded by batting around and scoring 12 runs in the bottom of the frame, and went on to win the run-rule shortened contest in 4 ½ innings.
The decisive outburst began when junior Lacey Cavaness led off by drilling the first pitch she saw into left field for a double. After sophomore Lilly Kincaid was hit by a pitch, Houston got on the board when junior Makinley Aaron smacked a 2-run double to left.
The Lady Tigers took the lead at 4-3 on an RBI single by junior Sophia Crites, and added 8 more runs with 2 outs before the inning was over, with Aaron driving in another run by cracking another double during the rally.
Houston ultimately built a 10-run lead with 2 outs in the bottom of the fourth inning when sophomore Katy Evans scored on a passed ball.
The Lady Tigers had 11 hits in the contest (including 6 doubles and a triple), with all 9 batters getting at least one hit and 8 different players scoring at least 1 run.
Aaron and Cavaness each had multi-hit outings, with Aaron going 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored, while Cavaness went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and 2 runs.
Kincaid went the distance in the pitcher’s circle, allowing 5 hits while striking out 1 and walking 1.
No Houston batters struck out in the game, and 3 Liberty pitchers combined to issue 7 walks. The Lady Tigers committed 2 errors in the contest, while the Lady Eagles committed 4.
HHS senior Kelsey Pritchett (the squad’s only senior) was the focus of attention during Senior Night activities after the game, as teammates and fans recognized her lengthy and illustrious career with the Lady Tigers.
During Moore’s 7-year tenure, Houston won the outright SCA title in 2019 and shared it in 2021 and 2023, while also winning district championships
in 2022 and 2023. The HHS softball program also won a district crown in 2012.
“In some ways, I think it’s tougher to win a conference than a district,” Moore said, “and in certain years, that’s for sure the truth. You have to beat seven teams, whereas in a district you only have to win three games. Also, the conference knows you really well and there aren’t many surprises; those coaches who are doing their due diligence are scouting you and they understand what your strengths and weaknesses are.
“To overcome that and run the table – I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
The accomplishment is perhaps made even more fulfilling due to the vast difference in this season’s roster, as a core group of eight seniors graduated in 2023.
“Those were very talented players, and they left some big shoes to fill,” Moore said. “So naturally, people on the outside thought, ‘that’s a lot to replace.’ And they’re right, but we had some girls who were putting in a lot of time and effort waiting for their opportunity, and they’re making the most of it.
“On the very first day of practice, we talked about how a lot of people out there were thinking that we might not be as competitive. I said, ‘the only people who believe what we can be are right here.’
“The girls bought into that, and lo and behold, they’re finding out it was the truth.”
The Lady Tigers (16-2, 7-0 SCA) have three road games left on the regular season schedule (weather permitting): Thursday at Plato, Friday at Licking and Monday at Bourbon.
The Class 2 District 3 Tournament at Potosi will begin late next week, and seeding in the 9-team event will be determined this Friday.
“We’re still young, and we know we’re going to make mistakes,” Moore said, “but sometimes mistakes are a good thing if you learn from them and improve. We’re excited about things, because we know we’re not playing as well as we possibly can yet, but it’s coming.
“And really, we don’t want to be playing our best yet; we want to play well – and we have – but we want to be at our best in about a week and a half. And I believe that’s possible.”
