By RICK BLUME
The Lockhart Girls Softball Team beat the visiting Bastrop Bears Tuesday night 7 to 6 in the bottom of the seventh inning to raise their season record to four wins against 3 losses before heading into district play next week.
Lockhart took an early lead in the first inning with Lee Smith leading off with a single, advancing on Alyssa Gonzales’s sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Bobbie Schulle was hit by a pitch and scored on Whitney Wendt’s base hit up the middle for a 2 – 1 lead. Bastrop came back with one run in the second inning with a single and throwing error, a sac bunt advancing the runner to third and a single driving home the run.
The Lions went down in order in the third after Smith was thrown out on an attempted steal of second following her lead off single. Zaida Hager and Katina Green went down swinging. Bastrop was held to one run in the top of the 4th in what could have been a big inning. The Bears loaded the bases with no outs and a ball hit back to Wendt went home for the force out and to first for the double play. The next hitter ground out to shortstop and the Lions were out of the inning with the score tied a 2 apiece.
The Lions were held scoreless in the bottom of the 4th and the Bears scored two runs in the top of the 5th on two base hits and a sacrifice bunt to take a 4 to 2 lead. The Lions got one back in their half of the inning with Jamie Juarez scoring Cecilia Sandoval with a sacrifice fly.
The Bears loaded the bases again in the top of the 6th with no outs and once again a shot back to Wendt went home and to first for a double play. However, a two run single plated two runs to give Bastrop a 3 run lead. Bobbie Schulle led off the bottom of the 6th with a bunt single and took second on a passed ball. Wendt singled and took second on the throw to third. Brittany Naumann singled to left scoring Schulle. With the score 4 to 6, the Lions scored two more off the Bears on an error and the score was tied at 6 apiece after 6 innings.
The Bears opened the 7th with a strikeout followed by a base hit. A grounder to third resulted in a high throw to second for the force out and left runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. A ground ball to second made it two away and with runners on 2nd and 3rd and Wendt struck out the next batter to end the threat.
Gonzales lead off with a shot to center that looked like a sure extra base hit but the Bear center fielder hauled it in for the 1st out. Schulle followed with a triple and Wendt singled toscore Schulle for the win.
Wendt was the winning pitcher and drove in the winning run. Smith was 2 for 4 at the plate with one RBI and scored one run. Naumann went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Schulle was 2 for 3 with a triple and scored 3 runs including the game winner.
The girls are entered in the Brenham Classic Tournament this weekend and begin District play next Tuesday against Elgin.
