After being defeated in the first round, the Houston High School softball team won twice in the second annual South Central Association Conference Tournament last Saturday at Mountain Grove.
Seeded No. 1 in the tournament’s 8-team field, the Lady Tigers fell to No. 8 Salem, 10-2, in the first round, but then beat No. 4 Mountain Grove, 9-8, and No. 7 Liberty, 12-7, to officially finish fifth in the tournament.
SALEM
Games were timed in the tournament, and the time limit expired after 4 innings.
Freshman Alaina Norris pitched for Salem and limited Houston’s usually prolific offense to only 4 hits while striking out 8 and walking 3.
Senior Makinley Aaron started in the pitcher’s circle for the Lady Tigers and worked 1 inning, allowing 4 earned runs on 1 hit and 4 walks. Junior Lilly Kincaid pitched 2 innings and allowed earned runs on 5 hits and 3 walks before Ava Koch threw a scoreless fourth frame.
MOUNTAIN GROVE
Houston trailed 8-0 before mounting a comeback with 4 runs in the bottom of the second inning, 4 more in the third and a decisive run in the fourth frame.
The winning run was scored thanks to a pair of errors. With 1 out, Koch reached base on an error and then took second on a passed ball. She then scored when junior catcher Gracyn McNiell laid down a bunt and the ball was misplayed at first base.
HHS senior center fielder Lacey Cavaness had a big outing at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and 4 RBIs. The Lady Tigers had 7 hits, with six players getting at least 1.
Koch pitched and worked all 4 innings, allowing 9 hits and 7 earned runs while striking out 2 and issuing 5 walks.
LIBERTY
The Lady Tigers earned the victory with 4 runs in each of the first-second and third innings, while the Lady Eagles scored 3 in the first frame and 4 in the second, but were shut out in the third.
Aaron went 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in 2 runs and scoring 2, while junior second baseman Katy Evans went 1-for-2 with a triple, an RBI, a walk and 3 runs scored.
Koch got the start in the circle and went 2 full innings before Aaron worked the third.
McNiell batted lead-off and drew 3 walks, scoring each time.
Second-seeded Ava blanked No. 5 Thayer in the tournament championship game.
“We got off to a slow start,” said HHS head coach Jim Moore. “The weather was damp and misty, and a little bit cold, and we didn’t hit the ball – and that was really the first time all year we’ve struggled with the bats. And in the field we were a step slow and didn’t make some plays we normally make.
“Give credit to Salem; they came ready to play and they got us.”
The loss sent top-seeded Houston to the left side of the bracket instead of the right side, as intended.
“Then we got off to a slow start against Mountain Grove and found ourselves down 8-0,” Moore said. “We had to fight our way back, and the bats finally woke up and we started getting back to the way we normally play.
“When I look back at it, it was kind of a tough day; but we got two wins, and if we can do that when we’re not at our best, we’ll take it. You take the experience and go on, and try to be better next time.”
BUSY TIMES
During a remarkable stretch of six games in five days, Houston played three road games earlier in the week, posting run-rule wins each time. The Lady Tigers routed Steelville 20-3 on Tuesday, beat Mansfield 21-9 on Thursday and bashed Gainesville 11-1 on Friday.
STEELVILLE
In a 3-inning run-rule-shortened contest, the Lady Tigers scored 15 runs in the second inning and led 20-0 before the host Lady Cardinals scored 3 runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Houston recorded 9 hits in the game and took advantage of 8 walks. Seniors Makinley Aaron and Ashley Gilbert each went 2-for-2, with Aaron driving in 3 runs and Gilbert driving in 1. Junior catcher Gracyn McNiell smacked a 3-run triple during the second inning outburst and ended up going 1-for-2 with a walk, 4 RBIs and a run scored.
Houston baserunners stole 8 bases in the game, with senior shortstop Sophia Crites swiping 3.
Aaron was in the pitcher’s circle and allowed 2 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 5 and walking 3.
MANSFIELD
Houston faced some adversity in a game that went 6 innings before ending via the run rule.
After the Lady Tigers took an early 3-0 lead, the host Lady Lions scored 5 runs in the bottom of the third inning to hold a 5-3 advantage and then led 9-5 after 4 innings.
But Houston exploded for 12 runs in the top of the fifth frame before adding 4 more in the sixth and recording the lopsided victory.
The Lady Tigers had 13 hits in the game, as five different players had 2-hit outings.
Aaron went 2-for-5 and drove in 3 runs, and banged a 2-run home run that tied the score at 9-all during the fifth inning rally. Evans went 2-for-2 and walked twice, while Cavaness went 2-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs and 4 runs scored, and Crites went 2-for-5 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs.
Kincaid started in the circle and worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing 5 hits and 9 earned runs while striking out 4 and walking 5. Aaron worked 2 1/3 innings in relief and didn’t allow a hit or a run while fanning 2 and walking 3.
The Lady Tigers stole 13 bases in the contest. Evans swiped 3, while four teammates stole 2 apiece. Houston batters were walked 7 times and hit by pitches 4 times.
GAINESVILLE
The contest lasted 5 ½ innings before the run ruled kicked in.
Cavaness’ bat was hot in the game, as she went 4-for-4 with a triple, a double, 2 RBIs and 3 runs. Evans went 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs, while senior left fielder Katy Scheets went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and run scored.
Koch pitched for Houston and went the distance without allowing a hit while fanning 1 and walking none.
Through 9 games this season, Houston (7-2) has outscored the opposition 113-53 and has a team batting average of .456. Evans had a robust .609 average at the plate (with 4 extra-base hits), while Aaron was hitting .577 with a team-high 15 RBIs and Cavaness was batting .538 with a team-high 16 runs scored.
Last week’s flurry of games brought the Lady Tigers’ early-season total to a whopping nine games in eight days.
“They’re troopers,” Moore said. “I didn’t hear one complaint about it. I know they’re tired; you could kind of tell by the way they looked Saturday that they were basically exhausted.”
Weather permitting, the Lady Tigers open SCA play with a road game Thursday against rival Willow Springs and host their first home contest of the season Friday against Summersville. That game will mark the first time Houston has played on the refurbished Carter Field.
Houston is scheduled to travel to Salem for an SCA game on Monday (April 7).
“Losing to them did put them on our radar,” Moore said. “I think our girls know they didn’t play our best, and they’re excited about getting another opportunity. Every game is important, but as far as the goals we have, this is a bigger one for sure.”
