By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Bulverde’s 9-11-year-old all-star softball team made the most of its short time in Del Rio this past week.
The team swept the Greater Medina Lake/Bandera Scorpions in two games to win the Texas West – Section 3 9-11 Little League Softball Tournament at the Val Verde County Sports Complex and advance to the Texas West State Tournament in Abilene this coming week.
Bulverde took game one, 28-0, and then capped the tournament with a 16-2 win in game two.
Game one lasted three innings. Bulverde sent 29 batters to the plate in the first inning, scoring all but four of its runs in that span. All but one player on the team scored in the contest with Eliana Bailey being the only player to score four times.
The second game looked much like the first as Bulverde scored seven runs in the first, but the Scorpions’ defense and pitching fared better in the rematch after the shakey first inning.
After an Emma Wyatt inside-the-park home run made the score 9-0 in the second inning, the Scorpions scored their first two runs of the tournament in the next inning.
Shayla Powell walked, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and then scored on a wild pitch for the Scorpions’ first run. With two outs, Nati Gomez walked, stole third and scored on a wild pitch to make the score 9-2, much to the delight of the players and the team’s fans.
Bulverde finished out its scoring in the third inning, scoring seven more runs. Magnolia Jendusa brought in a run with a bases loaded walk, and Linda Vallender brought in a pair of runs with a single to center field.
Harlie Massey, who pitched all four innings for Bulverde, struck out the side in the top of the fourth to close out the game.
Bulverde’s roster included Eliana Bailey, Leyla Buchanon, Emma Carrasco, Hayden Flowers, Hailey Harrell, Magnolia Jendusa, Liberty Lega, Harlie Massey, Austynn Nelson, Brooklyn Parrish, Taylor Smart, Linda Vallender and Emma Wyatt.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
