Holy Cross embarks on five-game week
AREA TEAMS INCLUDED: Holy Cross.
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Easter break may have come at the right time for Holy Cross.
Shortly before the holiday, the Knights (7-10-2, 3-2) were reminded of what they need to strengthen to continue their streak of postseason success. Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (14-6, 5-0) may have done them a favor by defeating the Knights 4-1 March 31 at Holy Cross in a TAPPS District 4-4A game.
“We’re still in the middle of things,” Holy Cross coach Angel Cedillo said. “The girls are working hard. They’re good kids, but they’re still pressing a little bit. We just have to have good pitching and hitting.
“We haven’t been able to do both at the same time. We’re out of sync.”
Holy Cross was tied for second place with perennial district champ Victoria St. Joseph (10-9, 3-2), whom the Knights upset 6-3 March 2 in Victoria. The rematch April 7 at Holy Cross was to begin a stretch of five games in seven days – three of which will count in the 4-4A standings.
The Knights were scheduled to play 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 10 at Texas Military Institute and Tuesday, April 14 at home against San Antonio Christian. A non-district game against Antonian, No. 5 in the Express-News area rankings was scheduled for Thursday, April 9.
“It’s just been a crazy season,” Cedillo said, “we’ve been in every game, but we haven’t come together.”
Against district-leading Incarnate Word, Holy Cross wasn’t able to score until the bottom of the seventh. The Angels broke a scoreless tie versus Knights starter Daisy Flores in the fourth.
A passed ball and an RBI single from Alyssa Perez made it 3-0 in the fifth. A base hit from Kehzie McCoy added the fourth Incarnate Word run with one out.
Holy Cross freshman Sarah LaFuente got her team out of the jam and didn’t allow another run.
“We’re pitching two young kids,” Cedillo said. “We’ve been pitching by committee. Our two best pitchers are Erin (Torralva) and Marisol (Ortega), but we need them out in the field. We’re a different team if they’re pitching.
“These kids have been a good hitting team, but pitching has been letting us down. But the freshman and sophomore pitched very well today.”
Cedillo admitted that he had the hitters he wanted coming up in the seventh, chasing a four-run deficit.
Megan Hernandez was safe on a dropped third strike leading off the inning. Caitlyn Macias’ infield fly fell for a single and the Knights had some kindling. Following a hard line out by Ortega (2-for-4) and an Angels error, Kat Rangel brought in Holy Cross’ run with a single to left field.
Nova Morin was a team-best 3-for-4 for Holy Cross. The Knights, who advanced to the TAPPS state quarterfinals each of the last two years, struck out nine times and left nine runners on base.
“We’ll keep plugging away,” Cedillo said. “We have good kids.”
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