Lady Bucks season ends in bi-district loss

Lady Bucks season ends in bi-district loss News Staff Tue, 04/30/2024 - 4:34 pm   Mia Castillo (10) is met at home plate by Charlie Salazar (6) after Castillo’s run during the second inning Friday, April 26 against Iowa Park. Photo/Mike Williams By Mike Williams news@breckenridgeamerican.com The Lady Bucks’ season came to an end Friday, April 26 following a two-game sweep in the bi-district playoff against Iowa Park in Graham. The season ends with the Lady Bucks holding a 23-13-1 (12-2 district) record and the District 8-3A championship. Lady Hawks 2, Lady Bucks 1 Game one was a marathon nine-inning game that ended in walk-off fashion with the Lady Hawks takes a 1-0 lead in the series. A pitcher’s dual between the Lady Bucks’ Chloe Whitmire and the Lady Hawks’ Callista Berrett, the game’s first five batters, three for the Lady Bucks and two for the Lady Hawks were each struck out. The two starters pitched the whole game and combined for 24 strikeouts and gave up a combined six hits. The two aces combined for 279 pitches with 174 strikes thrown. The Lady Hawks struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Iowa Park’s Halli Kennedy drew the first of back-to-back walks given up by Whitmire. Two batters later, Kennedy scored from second base on a line drive single to left field by Berrett. The game was tied by the Lady Bucks with a run in the fourth inning in what could be considered a missed opportunity for more runs. Joni Jackson and Emma Williams walked in consecutive at-bats which was followed with a bunt for a single by Olyvia Perez. With the bases loaded and one out Jackson was brought home with a one-out sacrifice fly by Mia Castillo. Perez and Williams were left stranded on base when Whitmire struck out to retire the side. The Lady Bucks had a two-out opportunity in the top of the fifth inning. Ryleigh Cowan drew a walk. Jackson was intentionally walked during the next at-bat. Neither runner scored and the top half of the inning ended with Williams grounding into a fielder’s choice. Cowan was forced out at third base. The Lady Bucks did not have another runner in scoring position in the game. The walk-off victory was earned by the Lady Hawks in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs. Whitmire recorded two outs in five pitches with ground balls to Robinson at third base. Whitmire walked the first two batters with the second, Kennedy, intentionally walked. The Lady Hawks’ Rylan Raschke, who drew the first walk, scored the game-winning run when Jacie Barnes hit a line drive into left field with the Lady Bucks recording an error on the play. Perez recorded the only hit in the game for the Lady Bucks. Jackson, Williams, Cowan and Carlee Stewart combined for five walks. Lady Hawks 3, Lady Bucks 1 The Lady Hawks’ Kinslee Deel recorded 15 strikeouts and held the Lady Bucks to four hits and one unearned run in five innings pitches. The unearned run, scored in the second inning gave the Lady Bucks the lead in which they held until the bottom of the fifth inning. Castillo led off the bottom of the second inning by reaching first base on an error at shortstop. Cowan recorded the first hit of the game for the Lady Bucks with a line drive to center field. The hit advanced Castillo to second base. Both runner advanced with a sacrifice bunt by Whitmire. Castillo scored the lone run of the game for the Lady Bucks on a ground out by Stewart. The Lady Hawks sealed their bi-district championship with three runs over the fifth and sixth innings. Perez, Cowan, Whitmire and Stewart each recorded hits for the Lady Bucks. Whitmire struck out five batters and gave six hits and three runs (two earned). “I think we were having a hard time catching up to (their) speed,” Lady Bucks coach Cynthia Hererra said of her team’s struggles to earn hits in the two games. “It’s unfortunate when you don’t see that all through district. You just see it in preseason. Kudos to her, for (Berrett) being injured and this being her first (games) back, she did a good job. She’s a good pitcher.” Although the season ended with a disappointing bi-district series loss, Hererra said she saw improvement from last season to this year and believes she has leaders in place to continue the program’s growth next season. “From when I got here (to now) we are day and night,” she said. “I’m super proud of them. You can measure success in all different ways. An important way of measuring success is measuring how your kids develop and part of that is develop their skills and knowledge of the game. They’re great human beings. For me, just seeing them grow is a win for me. ...we’re going to have some big shoes to fill. ...I’m hoping Reagan, Olyvia and Joni step up and be that leader for the team. The most successful teams are player led. I’m hoping these three become the leaders for the kids coming up.” Sports Log in to post comments