By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
This past Tuesday, February 13, the 4A Port Isabel Lady Tarpons hosted the 6A Brownsville Hanna Lady Eagles in the season’s opener. It was a close competitive game for the first five innings, but then the Lady Eagles pulled away with a big 5-run sixth inning to clinch the 9-4 win.
Hanna struck first as a double brought in a run to make it 1-0 in the top of the first inning. The Lady Tarpons answered right back in the bottom of the first inning as Port Isabel’s Chelsea Gonzalez’s double brought in Kim “Yaya” Barrera to tie the game up at 1-1.
After a scoreless second inning, the Lady Eagles scored another run in the top of the third inning to make it a 2-1 game. Unfortunately, Port Isabel came up empty as they went 3-and-out I the bottom of the third inning
Things started to heat up in the top of the fourth inning as PI sent in relief pitcher Andrea Garcia after Hanna managed to get bases loaded. The Lady Eagles managed to get off a pair of singles which brought in two more runs before the final out.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Gonzalez got on base on a single. Adept at stealing bases, Gonzalez then proceeded to steal second and third bases on subsequent plays. A single by Garcia brought Gonzalez in to make it 4-2 game.
A scoreless fifth inning saw both teams leave two batters stranded in scoring position.
In the top of the sixth inning, Hanna was down to two outs but had two baserunners in scoring position. The batter hit a line drive that bounced off an infielder for a double and two RBIs. A few plays later, another fielding error led to two more runs. Finally, Hanna was able to steal home base to make it a 9-2 game.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, PI added another run when Carmen Garza was walked during bases loaded. Jaylen Martinez hit a single, but a baserunner was thrown out at home plate. The next batter hit a fly out and Garcia who was at third base stole home before the baserunner was caught stealing second. The Lady Tarpons now trailed 9-4. The game concluded after a scoreless seventh inning.
The Lady Tarpons will be back in action as they compete in the La Joya Tournament starting Thursday, February 22-24.
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