Rockdale’s Lady Tiger softball team left the relaxation of spring break to take down Florence 4-1, earning the team’s first district win.
“With all the stress that’s been going on and how COVID-19 has affected our team, it’s big to get a win and it feels good,” said Meghann Infantino, RHS head softball coach. “I know it’s 1 p.m. and I know it’s their spring break so they’re not super excited but as a coaching staff, we’re super excited.”
“It gives us the hope of taking a game from a (good) team in the future,” she said.
The game started off tight with the Blue-and-Gold leaving runners on bases the first two innings but with a 1-0 lead at the close of the third when Jena Locklin scored on a dropped third strike.
The Lady Buffaloes tied the game in the fourth when Kate Carranco hit one over the left-center wall.
Despite having tough luck with five line drives where a FHS fielder had to take a maximum of two steps, the Lady Tigers took advantage when they could.
They took over in the fifth when Mariana Casarez brought in a runner on a ground out. Emma Whitsel scored when Haven Jimenez hit a line drive to third base and McKena Lopez scored from third after a dropped third strike during a Kaitlyn Rash at-bat.
Rockdale held on to win with pitching from Jimenez, who struck out seven with five hits allowed in seven innings pitched. This was a rare start for the junior hurler, who typically comes in midgame as relief.
Infantino also praised her team for having more patience at the plate.
“We had fifteen quality at-bats, that means them seeing more than five pitches and fouling a lot of balls off,” Infantino said. “That means we are just one small adjustment from run-ruling a team like this or beating a team like Lexington.”
“We’re right on the cusp, we just have to get together as a team to find a way to make it work. They’re working really hard and that’s all I could ask for,” she said.
LAST WEEK—The Lady Tigers began district at home last Tuesday with an 11-1 loss to rival Cameron. Although they lost again Friday in Lexington, RHS held its own against a perennial playoff Lady Eagle squad, 8-3.
Rockdale out-hit LHS eight-to-six with hits from Whitsel, Casarez, Jimenez, Brande Breithaupt, Hannah Rodriguez, Jessica Flores and Salome Cardona, who went two-for-three.
THIS WEEK—The Lady Tigers faced Academy on Tuesday after press time, Texas Girls Coaches Association’s ninthranked team.
Infantino said that tough teams like Academy will be a recurring theme in District 19-3A.
“Cameron, Academy and Rogers have come out and already started blowing people out of the water,” she said. “We’re in a really tough district.”
“So keeping our heads up like that with the year we’ve had, I’m proud of them.”
With the upcoming Tuesday off, the Lady Tigers return to action March 26, at their own place against Rogers.
First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
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