Thorndale has a chance to seek revenge on Shiner this weekend in Wimberley after falling to the Lady Comanches in last season’s Region IV quarterfinal game 3-2.
Shiner is ranked No. 2 in 2A competition, while Thorndale holds the No. 3 spot in 2019 Texas Girls Coaches Association Softball Poll. Crawford is the top ranked team in 2A.
With the most state championship and tournament appearances in UIL softball history, the Lady Comanches have made it to the state tournament 12 times since 1996 and have won it all six times in 2001, 2002, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016.
Last season, Shiner fell to Normangee 7-1 in the regional finals but still have Cameron Cowan, Taylor Wenske, Emily Cerny and Courtney Boedeker who hit two through five for them and are coming off a 14-1 win over Sabine Pass in Tomball last Saturday.
“Shiner is going to be tough as usual all the way around,” said Lance Betak, THS softball coach. “They are not going to give us anything and we will have to earn it.
“I like our chances though. Our girls are playing really well and have a lot of confidence right now.”
GAME TWO – The Lady Bulldogs are coming into the quarterfinal game after finishing off Deweyville in a 10-0 win on last Thursday in Tomball.
Thorndale racked up four runs in the first inning and another six in the second to take a comfortable lead early on. With two outs during their six-run rally, lightning was spotted and forced a 30-minute delay. During this time, both head coaches decided to call the game as the bad weather continued and it was clear that THS was the more dominant team.
Madison Kelm and Emilee Baker led the Lady Bulldogs at the plate with two hits each and Jayci Martinka, Kelsey Kovar, Maddie Flores and Jacey Paulsen had one apiece. Riley White led from the circle with three strikeouts in seven batters faced.
GAME ONE – They also beat the Lady Pirates 13-1 last Tuesday in a fast start, scoring three in the first and six in the second. It wasn’t until the sixth that the Lady Bulldogs 10-run-ruled Deweyville with four more runs to end the game.
THS had a total of 15 hits, three each by Martinka and Baker. Paulsen, Flores and Kate Casey hit two hits and White, Kelsey Kovar and Ash Kiesling had one.
White struck out seven and allowed five hits in six innings pitched.
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