SOFTBALL: Lady Chaps run-rule Clarendon twice to take series

By Oscar LeRoy
Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - The Midland College softball team made sure to make quick work of Clarendon College during a doubleheader on a warm and breezy Saturday afternoon at Lady Chaps Field.

The Lady Chaparrals won the series after claiming a pair of run-ruled victories in five innings, 14-6 and 12-2. The teams split a doubleheader the day before.

In both games, the Lady Chaps (28-13-1, 9-7 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference) invoked the run rule thanks to three-run home runs. Lauren De Cruz blasted one in the first game, then in the second game, Tajane Davis capped a five-run outburst in the fifth with a three-run shot to left.

"It feels very good," said Davis, a sophomore third baseman. "We've been struggling a little but we've been picking it up as a team and being there for each other.

"I think we did very well. Yesterday, the other team out-hit us, but today we put it back on them and got some runs, got more hits than them and won every inning."

MC coach Angel Castro said she was pleased with the way her team hit the ball over the weekend but added that it could have been better defensively.

"We needed that, that's for sure," she said of the series win.

The teams were tied at 6-all midway through the second inning in the first game, before the Lady Chaps answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame and then later added three runs in each of the third and fifth innings.

De La Cruz was 3-for-3 with a double, walk, the home run, three RBI and three runs scored. Jana Bradshaw was 2-for-2 with a walk, two RBI and run scored; Aaliyah Hunter had two hits and scored two runs; Gisselle Dominguez had two hits, an RBI and two runs scored; Zoey De Baca hit a home run, drove in two runs, walked once and scored three runs; Ciera Avila hit a home run and had two RBI; and Jasmine Garcia homered and also drove in two runs.

Emily Maddux got the win in relief as she only gave up two hits, walked one and struck out six over 3 2/3 innings.

Clarendon (16-22, 10-10) took an early lead on MC and Maddux in the second game with a solo home run by Unique Rodriguez.

But MC answered with five runs in the bottom of the first on just two hits. The Lady Chaps also drew five walks and had a runner reach on an error.

After scoring two runs in the second inning on solo homers by Dominguez and Avila, MC put the game away with the five-run fifth.

"We knew we needed that win, so we were ready to go," said Davis, who was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, dour RBI and two runs scored in the game.

Maddux again picked up the win after she allowed two runs on four hits, with six strikeouts.

Thanks to the 3-1 series win, the Lady Chaps have now won seven of their last eight games and have some momentum going into next weekend's series at Frank Phillips College.

"A lot of our sophomores are starting to step up and understand their role," Castro said. "I would say that we're starting to get into a groove. We're excited about winning seven out of our last eight. This is going to be a big momentum booster for us."

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