Lady Eagles edged by San Benito Lady Hounds 2-0 in Game One of Regional Quarter-Finals Championship
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
Live from the Laredo United ISD Student Activity Complex Softball Field
The Eagle Pass High School Lady Eagles were edged 2 to 0 by the perennially potent San Benito High School Lady Hounds in Game One of their best of three regional softball quarter-finals championship on Friday, May 10, 2013, at the Laredo United Independent School District Student Activity Complex Softball Field in Laredo, Texas, with the game called-off by the home plate umpire in the top of the sixth inning with one out and the visiting San Benito Lady Hounds batting due to nearby lightning in the area.
Both teams are evenly matched and led by outstanding pitchers with the Lady Eagles relying on standout sophomore southpaw Krystal De La Cruz and the Lady Hounds depending on standout right hand ace hurler Amber Jasso. Game One was a pitcher’s duel between De La Cruz and Jasso. Lady Eagle Krystal De La Cruz hurled five and one-third innings allowing four hits, three strike outs,two walks, one hit batsman, and two runs in taking the heartbreaking loss. Lady Hound Amber Jasso allowed four hits, seven strikeouts, one hit batsman, and no runs in five innings earning the win.
In the top of the first inning, Lady Eagle pitcher Krystal De La Cruz got the explosive Lady Hounds hitters to ground out, strike out, and ground out.
The Lady Eagles threatened to score in the bottom of the first inning as standout junior shortstop Sandra Mendoza led off with an infield single to shortstop to get on base with no outs, standout junior center fielder Monica Flores struck out on a nasty outside rise ball from Jasso for the first out, standout senior and honor graduate Jessica Garcia flied out to deep right field for the second out and Mendoza was doubled-up at first base for the third out as she uncharacteristically forgot there was only one out instead of two to end the scoring threat.
In the top of the second inning, Lady Eagle hurler Krystal De La Cruz and the stout Lady Eagle defense stopped the Lady Hounds from scoring with bases loaded and one out getting two groundouts to end the threat.
The Lady Eagles went three up and out in the bottom of the second inning to keep the game tied 0-0.
The Lady Hounds scored one run in the top of the third inning with one out as Lady Hound standout left fielder Blandina Trevino caught the Lady Eagle defense in the slap prevent slamming a line drive to the center field fence for an inside the park home run to take a 1-0 lead as Lady Eagle pitcher Krystal De La Cruz got the next two Lady Hound batters to ground out and strike out.
The Lady Eagles threatened to score in the bottom of the third inning with two outs as Lady Eagle left fielder Krystal Perez reached first base on a hit by the pitch, Sandra Mendoza belted a single to right center field advancing Perez to third base and herself to second on the throw-in from the outfield, and Monica Flores battled Lady Hound ace pitcher Amber Jasso but struck out to end the scoring threat.
In the top of the fourth inning, Lady Eagle pitcher Krystal De La Cruz allowed an infield hit to the Lady Hound lead off hitter but got the next three hitters to fly out and ground out to end the scoring threat.
The Lady Eagles threatened to score in the bottom of the fourth inning with one out as standout Lady Eagle Dariela Velasquez stroked a single to left center field, standout right fielder Keanna Cisneros executed a perfect bunt single to an open second base to advance pinch runner Melanie Mendoza to second base, but Sairah Gonzalez and Samantha De Leon struck out to end the threat.
Lady Eagle hurler Krystal De La Cruz got the Lady Hounds to go three up and down in the top of the fifth inning. Likewise, Lady Hound pitcher Amber Jasso retired the Lady Eagles three up and down in the bottom of the fifth inning to hold on to a slim 1-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Hounds scored one run to take a 2-0 lead with one out before the game was postponed and later called-off due to lightning in the area on an RBI triple by standout Lady Hound Clarissa Huerta to give the Lady Hounds the hard fought victory.
For the Lady Eagles on offense, standout Sandra Mendoza batted 2 for 3 with two singles, Dariela Velasquez went 1 for 2 with a single, and Keanna Cisneros was 1 for 2 with an infield single.
The Lady Eagles Game Two of the best of three series has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 11th, at 2 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. at the Laredo United ISD SAC Softball Field. The Lady Eagles will seek to bounce back in game two to force a game three tomorrow 30 minutes following game two.
All loyal Lady Eagles softball fans are invited and encouraged to attend Games Two and Three, if necessary, on Saturday, May 11th, and cheer them on to victory. Go Lady Eagles! Beat the San Benito Lady Hounds!
Once again, the Eagle Pass Business Journal will have a live sports journalist and photographer covering Games Two and Three of the Lady Eagles versus San Benito Lady Hounds.
