Lady Blues 5-1, Harrell throws perfect game at softball tournament
By News Staff,
2023-03-15(MIKE WILLIAMS | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Zoey Harrell (pictured during Saturday’s 13-1 over Kennedale) pitched a perfect game Friday, March 10 at Bowie High School against Springtown. The Lady Blues defeated the Lady Porcupines 11-0 in the game. Harrell finished the game with eight strikeouts. She added two walks and two runs on offense in the win.
The Lady Blues continued their fast start over the weekend by winning five of their six games at their home tournament. While sophomore pitcher Zoey Harrell achieved perfection, wet weather caused changes in the schedule. That did not matter as the Lady Blues claimed wins over Muenster, Archer City, Springtown, Kennedale and Stamford.
Thursday started with a shift in the schedule as Wednesday’s rain moved the Lady Blues’ games to Bowie. They opened their weekend with a win over Muenster and closed Thursday, March 9 with a win over Archer City. The Lady Blues struggled Friday, March 10 to find hits in a loss to Holliday. The Lady Blues bounced back as Zoey Harrell pitched a perfect game against Springtown. The Lady Blues closed Saturday, March 11 with wins over Kennedale and Stamford.
Lady Blues 8, Lady Hornets 1
On defense, the Lady Blues continued their improved play with no errors. The flawless defense was backed up by a 13-strikeout effort from Zoey Harrell to open with a win.
After falling behind in the first inning, Jayden Harrell brought home Paris Tate with a two-out, RBI single. Zoey Harrell added an RBI in the third inning. Reese Calhoun scored on Zoey’s single to second base. Meagan Brooks scored on a double steal during Emily Lawson’s at-bat for a 3-1 lead.
Rainey Ortegon and Zoey Harrell added a pair of runs on doubles hit by Zoey and Lawson with no outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bobbie Jo Hart brought home Lawson with a one-out, RBI single and Olga Morales scored during Jayden Harrell’s at-bat. Hart later scored the final run of the game.
Lady Blues 13, Lady Wildcats 1
The Lady Blues earned a three-inning victory with eight hits in two innings and committed no errors on defense.
Calhoun opened the game with three strikeouts in the top of the first inning. The Lady Blues scored two runs with two outs in the bottom half of the inning. Jayden Harrell and Brooks both scored on separately thrown passed balls to Tate. The Lady Wildcats avoided a shutout with a run scored on a wild pitch in the second inning.
The Lady Blues recorded seven hits and five hits during their 11-run second inning. Tatum Westerman, Lawson, Morales and Calhoun recorded singles. Tate and Hart hit doubles and Brooks hit a single. Calhoun, Zoey Harrell, Ortegon and Westerman drew walks.
Calhoun ended the game in the top of the third inning with the last three of her eight strikeouts in the game.
Lady Eagles 6, Lady Blues 0
The 6-0 loss marked the most difficult game of the tournament for the Lady Blues as the team could only earn three hits and committed two errors in their only loss of the tournament. Calhoun, Brooks and Ortegon each recorded hits for the Lady Blues. As a team, the Lady Blues combined to get struck out 13 times by Lady Eagles pitcher Addison Lindemann.
The Lady Eagles scored one run in the second and fourth innings and closed the game with two runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Lady Blues 11, Lady Porcupines 0
Zoey Harrell was perfect in the pitcher’s circle Friday at Bowie High School and the Lady Blues rewarded her with a combined eight hits and a four-inning win.
Zoey struck out eight of the 12 batters she faced and walked twice and scored two runs on offense to help her cause. She threw two strikeouts in the first inning following a ground out to second base. Zoey threw one strikeout in the second inning and was backed up by her defense in a pop out to third base and ground out to the shortstop.
During the third inning, Zoey struck out the side in order and added a pair of strikeouts in the fourth inning. Morales saved Zoey’s perfect game at the start of the fourth inning with a leaping catch on a line drive over second base.
Brooks hit a no-out, two-RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth inning to end the game.
Lady Blues 13, Lady Wildcats 1
The Lady Blues gave up a total of two runs Saturday in two games at the Graham High School softball field. Zoey Harrell had some issues in the first inning then improved over the second and third innings of the three-inning game.
After giving up a run in the first inning, the Lady Blues responded in the bottom half of the inning. Westerman led off with a double and advanced to third on a ground out by Calhoun. Brooks followed with a walk and both runners scored on a line drive double by Zoey Harrell. Tate singled to center field to bring home Zoey for the team’s third run.
The Lady Blues added 10 runs over the second and third innings to cap off the team’s third game of the tournament won via the run rule. Brooks had one hit, two walks, two RBIs and three runs in the win. Zoey Harrell had two hits, two RBIs and three runs.
Lady Blues 9, Lady Bulldogs 1
Capping off the tournament with a win, the Lady Blues’ defense continued to shine with another game with no errors. Calhoun gave up four hits and one walk while striking out five batters in five innings.
Tate and Jayden Harrell had two-hit games for the Lady Blues, with Jayden Harrell adding three RBIs to her two hits. Tate and Ortegon each had two runs.
“We played solid defense all week and that’s all we’re asking them to do. Make the routine plays,” Lady Blue coach Adam Arrington said. “(...) It was a good weekend for us, I think we’re starting to gel. We can still get better at the plate, but we’re making the routine plays and I like where we’re at.”
The Lady Blues’ win over Archer City marked Arrington’s 100th coaching win with the Lady Blues. He was honored after the Lady Blues’ Saturday win over Kennedale.
With Graham ISD on spring break this week, the Lady Blues were scheduled to play two day games. The Lady Blues were scheduled to host Burkburnett at noon Tuesday, March 14 and will host Incarnate Word San Antonio Wednesday, March 15 at noon.
After having Tuesday, March 21 off, the Lady Blues will meet Vernon Friday, March 24 at City View.
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