As no one would have expected, they needed eight innings to do it.
A tying run in the seventh and a six-run explosion in the eighth propelled the Lady Tigers to an 11-5 win as Belton avoided an upset and remained alone atop the District 12-5A softball standings.
“I think the girls like to make things interesting,” said Belton coach Matt Blackburn, whose team is 13-9 overall and 4-0 in district. “I earned a few more gray hairs in that one. But that’s a much-improved Harker Heights team from last year.”
It was a much-improved team from just the day before, when the Lady Knights were run-ruled by Killeen Shoemaker, 10-0. Coming back the next day against the district leader usually isn’t a recipe for success.
“This was one of the best games we’ve played in district, by far,” said Heights coach Jamie Stephens, whose team is 3-10 and 0-4. “We had a totally different attitude than we’ve seen before and we came out hitting the ball.”
A bases-loaded triple by Ali Wood in the sixth brought the Lady Knights from a 4-2 deficit to a 5-4 lead and three outs away from their first district win in two years. Wood shot the right-center-field gap to drive home Christina Hagey, Katelyne Brockman and Jordan Smith. Brynne Steger retired the next two batters in order to keep Wood at third.
Belton’s Brianna Bozon, who completed the back-to-back spring break district games by going 7-for-8, stroked a one-out double in the seventh. Bozon went to third on a wild pitch and scored when catcher Ronnie Espinosa’s pickoff attempt caromed off of Bozon’s helmet and bounced away from fielders to allow her to score the tying run. Heights was unable to get a runner aboard in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.
The Lady Tigers came charging to the plate in the eighth, with the first six batters all reaching base and scoring.
Singles by Kristi Moose and Madi Moore sandwiched around Jenna Roach’s fielder’s choice with an error loaded the bases. Victoria Alcozer put the Lady Tigers on top with a single to left to score pinch runner Hannah Mauk. Roach scored on a throwing error to make it 7-5.
Krystal Faber put a grounder through the legs of second baseman Angelia Jackson to score Roach and Alcozer.
Bozon put the final touches on the day by drilling the first offering from reliever Sloan Fine well beyond the left-field fence for a two-run home run.
“We should have hit the ball the whole game and not wait until the eighth inning,” Blackburn said. “We haven’t played well this year when the lights are off. It’s unexplainable.”
Senior left-hander Steger went the distance to get the win, giving up three hits, fanning nine and walking five. Fine took the loss after going the final three innings in relief of starter Hagey.
Heights took a 1-0 lead in the first. Ashlyn Osborne ripped a leadoff double and later scored from third on an Espinosa groundout.
Belton picked up three in the third. Steger followed back-to-back singles by Bozon and Amber Peters with a two-run double to the left-center gap. Courtesy runner Megan Surovik scored from third on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead.
Heights added a run in the third when Jackson scored on an Espinosa groundout.
The Lady Tigers manufactured a run in the fifth for a 4-2 advantage. Peters walked, stole second and hustled home from there on a Steger bunt.
Although it was a loss for the Lady Knights, it was one they can build from.
“(Belton) had to earn it,” Stephens said. “We took them to the eighth after getting run-ruled. This was one of our best showings against Belton in many years."
Blackburn has a renewed respect for Heights while still looking for offensive consistency from his own club.
“I see (Heights) giving people some trouble,” he said. “We’ve got to figure out that we can’t just show up and expect to win. I was just glad to get this win."
twaits@temple-telegram.com
