Knights outscore four opponents 46-6
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After the sting abates, a setback can be a useful tool for a team.
That was the case for Holy Cross after it was shut out by New Braunfels March 14. The Knights (18-7-1, 4-0) got their house in order after the non-district loss and rolled to four victories last week, including a 17-1 victory at Texas Military Institute last Thursday.
“We had a tough loss to New Braunfels,” Knights senior pitcher Julia Ibarra said. “We lost 10-0. Going into Antonian, we all came together as a team. We know that if we continue to (play) great defense as a team, we’ll succeed.
“We needed to play with more intensity. We lost by a lot, but we finally realized what we could be.”
The Knights outscored their opponents 46-6 last week. Beginning with a key 7-3 victory over Antonian on Monday, the Knights romped to a 5-0 win over Corpus Christi Incarnate Word last Tuesday and finished the week with a 17-2 win at Cornerstone Christian Friday.
All but the Antonian game counted in the TAPPS District 3-4A standings.
“Victoria St. Joseph has been the district champs the last two years,” Holy Cross coach Angel Cedillo said. “We haven’t played them yet. We have a long way to go, but I’m proud of our progress right now.”
Junior shortstop Marisol Ortega, who pitched the fifth inning, began the TMI game with a double down the left-field line and scored on the play with help from a two-base Panthers throwing error. No. 3 hitter Melanie Cortinas (2 RBIs) was hit by a pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice that gave Holy Cross a 2-0 advantage.
Ortega collected the first of three hits in four at-bats. She also drove in three runs.
“Mari’s just a tough hitter,” Cedillo said. “We’re struggling with a little inconsistency after our (Nos. 1-6 hitters). We need to have nine confident hitters. That way, if we keep the ball down and play good defense, we can play with anybody.”
Ortega delivered a two-run single in the second inning and the Knights increased their lead to 6-0 in the third. A wild pitch and an RBI double from Erin Torralva accounted for the third inning runs.
Holy Cross erupted for five runs in the fourth.
A two-run double from Cortinas followed by an RBI triple from Kat Rangel made it 9-0. Another run scored on an error on Omni Garcia’s grounder. Jenevieve Cruz doubled home a run.
Ibarra allowed just four hits in the victory. The senior showed that she had all of her pitches working early, striking out opposing pitcher Taylor Devlin with a change-up in the first inning.
“My change-up has been iffy, but I think today, I was able to throw anything I wanted,” Ibarra said. “We’ve had a lot of injuries. Our second baseman is hurt. But we’re still playing good defense. We pitchers can’t do anything without having a team behind us to help us.”
She kept the Panthers scoreless until the fourth, when No. 3 batter Grace Westerman led off with a single and scored on Emily Gaines’ two-out base hit.
“We tell her she’s going to need all of her pitches,” Cedillo said. “If a (batter) is the real deal, don’t be afraid to throw her a change-up.”
Holy Cross responded with another scoring flurry. Pinch-hitter Jessica Solano produced a two-RBI triple and Ortega chipped in another RBI on a double in the fifth.
“We’ve played a bunch of good teams,” Cedillo said. “We’ve played some Northeast side teams and Johnson. The things we did wrong in the New Braunfels game, we did absolutely right today.
“We told them New Braunfels was going to put the ball in play and that we needed to not make mistakes. They dinked and dunked us. But those are the things that keep us (grounded). We’re blessed that teams like that schedule us.”
Holy Cross advanced to the region round in the TAPPS 4A playoffs last year.
“We did lose some seniors and we lost one of our pitchers,” Cedillo said. “We have a new outfield. But the main thing is that we’re coming together as a team. We’ve been doing well.”
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