WHS amasses 15 hits in home victory, will open bi-district series Wednesday
The playoff-bound Waxahachie Lady Indians took care of the business they needed to on Tuesday night, as they used a 15-hit attack to overwhelm District 11-6A rival Waco High, 15-6, at the Midkiff Athletic Complex to lock up a postseason berth.
Five Lady Indians in all had multiple hits on the evening, led by Kadin Vire, who was 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, five RBI and three runs scored. Molly Gilbert was 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored; and Sam Jimenez was 3-for-4. Sam Christian and MaKenna Stone each also had two-hit outings.
Jimenez picked up the win in relief, holding Waco to one hit over the final 3 1/3 innings. Starter Kylee Raney pitched into the fourth inning and allowed six runs on five hits, striking out six and walking six.
It took a while for the Lady Indians to get going and the visiting Lady Lions took a 2-0 lead in the third inning and a 6-1 advantage in the fourth. But in the home half of the fourth, WHS erupted for seven runs, taking the lead for good as Vire cleared the bases with a double to start things off. Gilbert later doubled home two more runs, Bryten Buns scored on a passed ball and Marlee Jackson drove in a run with a sac fly as the Lady Indians took an 8-6 edge.
In the fifth, both Grace Boozer and Stone stole home as the lead grew to 13-6; and in the sixth, Vire singled home the final two runs of the game.
The Lady Indians (11-10, 8-5) traveled to Mansfield Lake Ridge on Thursday for a make-up game and came away with a 6-2 loss as Lake Ridge scored a combined five runs in the fourth and fifth innings to break a 1-1 tie.
Unlike Tuesday’s game, WHS was held to four hits, two by Gilbert, who finished 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Gilbert’s single in the first inning scored Vire to give the Lady Indians an early lead. Jackson singled home Gilbert in the sixth for the second WHS run.
Raney pitched the first 4 2/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on four hits. Jimenez retired all four batters she faced in relief.
The Lady Indians were scheduled to close out the regular season on Friday evening at the Midkiff Athletic Complex against DeSoto, but weather was threatening once again to force a postponement to Saturday. The team’s seniors were to be honored after the game, with a reception.
The team will open the Class 6A Region II playoffs with a bi-district series against Bryan High School. Game 1 will be Wednesday at Texas A&M University’s Aggie Diamond, with Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) set for Friday at 5 and 7 p.m. at the Midkiff Complex.