By Jayson Larson Editor
MALAKOFF — All week long at the Texas Teenage Softball District Tournament, the Athens Wild Thangs have handed out a few heartbreaking losses to teams that thought they had them beat.
On Friday night, it was the Wild Thangs who found themselves on the heartbreaking end of a loss.
A spirited rally in the bottom of the fifth came up just short and the Wild Thangs were eliminated from the tournament at the hands of Grand Saline Haywire, 7-6. The loss left Grand Saline playing Saturday with a chance to still clinch a trip to the 10 & Under state tournament
Elyse Randolph struck out 10 to pick up the win for Haywire, while Kristin House (six strikeouts) took the loss. Brooke DeShazo also saw time on the mound for the Wild Thangs, holding Haywire to one run on one hit in 1 1/3 innings of work.
Haywire held a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. With just nine minutes left before time was set to expire in the game, the Wild Thangs began to build what would have been another improbable comeback.
DeShazo got things started by drawing a leadoff walk, and she moved to second when House stroked a one-out single to left. With two outs, Haylee Adair singled, driving in DeShazo and cutting the lead to 7-4. Callie Cole’s double on a perfectly placed bunt down the first base line plated two more runs to make it 7-6.
Haywire issued an intentional walk to K.K. Taylor, and then got a popout to end the game.
Adair finished with two hits, while Taylor added an RBI double. Kenzi Fowler nailed a two-run single in the third.
Wild Thangs 15,
Emory Leopards 4
The Wild Thangs used an eight-run second and a seven-run third to close out the tournament for the Leopards in Friday’s first game.
Adair had a three-run triple in the eight-run second, and the Wild Thangs also got key hits from Kelli Gartman, Kallie Gray, Sam Smith and DeShazo. Smith finished with three RBI, as did Fowler. House had a pair of RBI in the game, and Caitlin Millar drove in a run in the third.
Wild Thangs 12,
Mildred 11 (Thurs.)
K.K. Taylor hit a walk-off homer to complete a huge comeback to seal the win for the Wild Thangs.
The Wild Thangs had trailed 11-0 before their bats came alive in the third, when they scored six runs. Taylor was a big factor with a bases-loaded homer in the third and a three-run homer to end the game.
House recorded eight strikeouts to get the win for the Wild Thangs. DeShazo (two strikeouts) and Gray (one strikeout) also saw time in the circle.
