Sports
Lady Tigers crush Shoemaker
Sunday, 29 April 2012 by Chuck Kelly
The forecasters keep calling for rain but the Shoemaker softball team must have thought they had run into a tornado at Lady Tiger Field Tuesday night --- junior Alex Wilson had another masterful performance in the circle as she struck out seven, walked just two and gave up a stingy two runs off two hits. (She has allowed just three hits in the last two games)
Meanwhile, her bat-swinging teammates overwhelmed the Lady Grey Wolves defense with 20 runs off 13 hits for another easy Belton victory.
Did I mention that head coach Matt Blackburn's ladies scored a dozen runs in the opening inning --- and then tacked on another eight scores in the second inning!
Shoemaker got a single and a two-run homer over the left center field wall in the third inning and that was it for the visitors. They were run-ruled 20-2 after three and one-half innings.
After Wilson whiffed two batters and a third flew out to start the contest, Belton went to work in the bottom of the first.
Meredith Langford was hit by a pitch and Shelby Hitt drew a base on balls before Alyson Bishoff stepped up to the plate and drilled a double to bring both home for a two-run lead and the slaughter began. Wilson walked, Lauren Ramsey got on, Becca Alcozer drove a two RBI double to left, Billi Farr walked and Kirsten Whiteside drove in two runs with another double.
Just one out at this point!
Still the first inning and Langford walked, Hitt brought her across home plate with a double, Bishoff whacked another double for a score, Wilson got the last score of the opening frame, Stewart and Alcozer were left on base when the third out came.. Belton-12, Shoemaker -0.
No hits, no runs for the Lady Grey Wolves in the second but two more strikeouts for Wilson.
In Belton's part of the second inning....eight more runs to move the score to 20-zip. Tiffany Beaver, Makayla Hernandez, Jenny Newberry, Kaitlyn Dunahoo and Brittany Bass got into the game.
Neither team scored in the third inning and Wilson posted two more strikeouts to end the game in 3-1/2 innings on the mercy rule.
Last Thursday evening, Lady Tiger ace Wilson tossed a one-hit shutout in a 14-0 five inning road win at Harker Heights.
Not only did Wilson have a sterling night in the circle, dealing out five strikeouts to the 19 batters she faced, she also showed up really big at bat, going 2-for-4 with three runs driven in.
Belton jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first inning. Leadoff batter Meredith Langford walked and Shelby Hitt got on base on an error. They worked their way around the bases and Lauren Ramsey beat out an error at first with two outs and two scores came in.
No score in the second or third by the Lady Tigers but they made up for that in a huge 10-run fourth inning.
Allyson Bishoff drove a three RBI double into center field.....Skylar Stewart and Wilson each slammed two run homers over the center field wall.....Billi Farr got a pair of doubles, one for a score.....Langford and Hitt added two more runs.
In the top of the fifth, Brittany Bass singled and Bishoff followed with a base on balls before the pitcher, Wilson, ripped her second hit of the night, an RBI double through shortstop. Ramsey walked and then was tagged out in the base path between first and second. Stewart flew out to center field for the second out. Wilson scored when Becca Alcozer reached first on a fielder's choice and the third out ended the shortened ball game.
Oh --- for the record --- Harker Heights' lone hit in the game came with two outs in the bottom of the third. The following batter got the third out on an infield pop, stranding the lone runner.
Mark another one-hit shutout in the record books for Wilson and note the Lady Tigers pounded out nine hits behind her.
Blackburn takes his ladies (13-13, 6-5) to A&M Consolidated Friday night as the regular season winds down to just three more games.
Next week, it will be Copperas Cove on the road and Ellison at Lady Tiger Field. Playoffs next?
