The Rockdale Lady Tiger softball team fell to 5-6 in District 19-3A play on Friday with a 7-2 loss to Little River-Academy where they were unable to overcome errors and a pair of home runs hit by the Lady Bees.
Academy opened the game by getting leadoff hitter Kinley Yepma and second batter Desirea Bolin on base due to errors and took a 3-0 lead when McKenzie Schulze hit a three run homer.
“We had two errors and then I messed up and told Karley (Leopold) to throw a rising ball,” said Erin Palmer, Rockdale High School head softball coach. “But after that first inning our defense did a really good job of backing up our pitcher.
“They were hitting the ball to Averie Hobbs pretty consistently and she was hustling after every ball and doing everything she could to get those outs.”
The contest remained 3-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Marian Casarez hit a single scoring Macy Knesek to make the game 3-1. In the top of the seventh, Academy slugger McKenzie Schulze widened the gap between the Lady Bees and the Lady Tigers with a grand slam to make the score 7-1. Rock-dale scored once more in the bottom of the seventh but it wasn’t enough to take back the game and they would lose 7-2.
“Academy is always a tough opponent,” Palmer said. “We only scored two runs less than the last we played them but we weren’t selective at the plate this game.
“We felt a lot of pressure to go and chase after pitches instead of forcing her to throw to us and ultimately, I think that’s what kept us off the board for so long. Our defense was also there, but I think after those three runs we felt defeated as a team. That’s something we have to change because we have to recognize that the game is not over in the first inning and that we always have an opportunity to come back.”
RHS was led at the plate with hits from Ryleigh Eanes, Casarez, Tyley Arledge, Autumn Montelongo and Andrea Salazar. Leopold led Rockdale from the circle with four strikeouts and allowing five hits in seven innings pitched.
This was the second time the Lady Tigers lost to Academy after losing to them 7-4 on Tuesday, March 12.
PLAYOFFS – With three district games left, the Rockdale Lady Tigers hold the tiebreaker over Cameron for the final playoff spot in District 19-3A after defeating the Lady Yoe 11-8 in February, and 15-1 in March.
RHS faces a tough road ahead with two of their last three games against Troy and Rogers who have been ranked by the Texas Girls Coaches Association in class 3A over the course of this season.
They also face 1-10 Franklin in the season finale, who they lost to 8-7 on Friday, March 22. The Lady Yoe face playoff-bound Academy in their final district game but also have an easier route than their Milam County neighbors with games this week against 4-7 Lexington and 2-9 McGregor. McGregor defeated Cameron 9-2 on Tuesday, March 19. Lexington is also in the hunt with games against Cameron, Troy and McGregor. Since Rockdale split their series with the Lady Eagles, a tie would lead to a playoff game between the two.
“We’ll have to take one from a good team at their place,” Palmer said.
The Lady Tigers faced Troy after press time and play Rogers on Friday on the road. First pitch is scheduled at 7 p.m.
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