Arabians trounce Hondo 17-3

Varsity Arabian Jessie Ramirez looks for her pitch. Check out our online store for more photos!

A motivated Arabian softball team traveled to Hondo last Tuesday, April 4, and bounced back from a loss to Pearsall by trampling the Hondo Lady Owls 17-4.
Leadoff batter Taylor Carr drew a walk to start the game, Jaylyn Stewart followed with a single, and Carr scored on two-out infield hit by Brittany Jay that drew an error.
Devine scored three more runs in the top of the 2nd inning. Jessie Ramirez led off the inning, reaching base with an infield hit that forced an error. Carr drove her in on a one-out double to left field. Stewart singled, Korin Stehle reached on a fielder’s choice, and Carr scored on an error by Hondo’s third baseman. Jenna Sadler singled to center to knock in Stewart for a 4-0 lead.
After being held scoreless in the 3rd inning, the Arabians added two more runs in the 4th inning. Sadler hit a two-out single, Jay doubled, and Amanda Wilson drove both in with a triple to center field to put Devine up 6-0.
In the top of the 5th inning, Carr drew a one-out walk and scored on Stewart’s double to left-center field.
Hondo used two singles to get on the board in the bottom of the 5th inning and cut the lead to 7-1.
The Arabians blew the game open in the batting around and scoring 10 runs. Jay led off the inning with a walk, Wilson doubled, and both later scored. Brooklyn Anderson doubled, Julie Ortiz walked, and Carr doubled to center to drive in both for an 11-1 lead. Stewart followed with a double of her own to knock in Carr, Stehle singled, and Sadler drove in Stewart with a single to left. Jay walked, Wilson singled, and both scored on Anderson’s double to left to put Devine up 17-1.
The Lady Owls showed a bit of life by scoring three runs in the bottom of the 6th, but it was far too little, too late. Kim Freeman closed out the game with an easy pick at third and throw across the diamond to Jay at first base for the final out. Devine improved to 3-1 in District 29-4A and 18-6 overall with the win.
The Arabians bashed 18 hits and drew five walks.
Stewart batted a thousand in the game, going 5-5. Wilson was 3-5, and Anderson and Carr both went 2-3.
Wilson pitched all six innings, giving up three earned runs on just four hits. She allowed two walks and struck out four.
“Taylor Carr made a shoe string catch in right field on a line drive, and Kim Freeman fielded a hard hit ball at third and turned it into an easy 5-3 out,” Coach Mark Mangold said. “From a hitter’s perspective, when you are ahead in the count you are looking for a pitch to drive, but when you are behind in the count you are looking to drive the pitch.”
Behind in the count or ahead, the Arabians had plenty of offense to go around.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer