On the strength of yet another impressive offensive exhibit, the Houston High School softball team hammered Liberty 16-1 in a 4-inning, run-rule-shortened South Central Association game Tuesday at Carter Field.
Leading 1-0, the Lady Tigers scored 12 runs in the bottom of the third inning to run away with the contest.
The decisive rally began with a lead-off double to right field by senior Mackenzie Bryan followed by an RBI double to left by junior Kelsey Pritchett and a 2-run home run over the left field fence by freshman Katy Evans.
Three different Liberty pitchers spent time in the circle during the inning, and aided Houston’s efforts by issuing 8 walks and hitting 2 batters. With 2 outs in the frame, 8 straight Lady Tigers reached base via the charitable route – 6 by walks and 2 by being plunked. Houston scored 4 times during the sequence and led 13-0 when the third out was finally recorded.
Bryan led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to center, her second dinger in as many days.
The Lady Tigers ended up with 11 hits in the contest, including 6 for extra bases.
Evans and senior Aliyah Walker each drove in 3 runs in the game, while Pritchett and senior Rhease Manier scored 3 apiece.
Walker pitched for Houston and worked all 4 innings in the contest, scattering 4 hits while striking out 3 and walking nobody.
With the victory, the Lady Tigers (12-2, 6-1 SCA) clinched at least a share of the SCA championship. The conference title is the squad’s third under the guidance of fifth-year of head coach Jim Moore.
Ava can earn a share by beating Salem today (Wednesday, April 26), but a loss by the Lady Bears would give Houston the outright title.
Last year, the Lady Tigers missed out on the SCA title but won a district championship.
LONG BALL LOG
The Lady Tigers are hitting home runs at a virtually unprecedented rate during the 2023 season, having belted 17 through Tuesday. Six different players have contributed to that total; senior Katie Jo Chipps leads the way with 5, while Bryan, Pritchett and Evans each have 3, senior Karlee Curtis has 2 and Walker has 1.
Meanwhile, opposing teams have combined hit 4 round-trippers against Houston.
The Lady Tigers have also hit 19 triples and a whopping 41 doubles so far this season. The speedy Walker has 8 triples and 5 doubles, while Chipps has 8 doubles and 3 triples and Pritchett has 7 doubles and 2 triples.