Timely hit ensures Marble Falls’ fate against Dripping Springs
DRIPPING SPRINGS— One swing of the bat ensured the Dripping Springs Lady Tigers kept pace with the Marble Falls High School softball team April 17.
With the game tied 0-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the lead-off batter was hit by a pitch. The next batter hit a ball that went to the infielder, who in turn hit the runner as she went to first. Then power hitter Janice Burke did the rest, swinging to the center field fence to clear the bases for a 2-0 lead.
Junior pitcher Brandi Needham did the rest, though juniors Alicia Macias and Abby Henry got on base. But Needham struck out a batter and forced the last one to hit a flyball to center field for the last out and the win.
After the two teams shook hands, Marble Falls head coach Tino Salazar stopped midway to the dugout, put his hands on his knees and looked up to his assistant coaches. The three smiled, in part disbelief and part “what do we have to do to beat them?”
In seven seasons, Marble Falls (8-3) has yet to defeat Dripping Springs.
Why?
“I really believe it’s reputation,” Salazar said. “I told the girls, ‘Don’t walk onto that field noticing all the trips to the state tournament, all the trips to regionals. Go on that field and play hard.”
And for all but one-half inning, the Lady Mustangs did.
The Lady Tigers (8-3) stranded two runners because Marble Falls made every routine play.
“They got the timely hit, and we didn’t,” the coach said.
Meanwhile, the Lady Mustangs stranded four.
The loss means Marble Falls, Lake Travis and Dripping Springs are in a three-way tie for first place with one game remaining in the regular season.
The Lady Mustangs will welcome Lake Travis to Scearce Field, 2101 Mustang Drive in Marble Falls, 7 p.m. April 20.
If Marble Falls wins and Dripping Springs wins, Salazar said play-in games will be needed to decide which teams advance as the first, second and third seeds. All three would be co-district champions.
But if the Lady Mustangs lose, Marble Falls will go to the playoffs as the third seed.