The Brownwood Lady Lions’ offense continued its torrid start to the season, scoring nine runs over the first two innings en route to a 12-2 home victory over Coleman, the fifth win in a row for head coach’s Cherita Munguia squad since a season-opening setback to No. 19 Fredericksburg.
Brownwood (5-1) raced out to a 5-0 lead after one inning, which grew to 9-0 after two complete frames.
“We’re seeing all different levels of pitching so it’s exciting to see we’re hitting the ball consistently even though the pitching is changing each day,” Munguia said. “Right now we’re trying to keep it simple in the batter’s box, it’s a game of bat and ball. We’ve manipulated and worked on a lot of swings over the last two weeks and the girls are really doing a good job of putting what we do in practice into games.”
The Lady Lions compiled 13 hits as a team, led by four from Lila Mares, three from Maitlyn Esquivel, two from Adyn Lucas, and one apiece from Brenda Allen, Carlee Burks, Amarrea Thomas, and Audrey Keas. Lucas collected a team-best three RBIs followed by two apiece from Mares, Thomas and Esquivel, and one by Kaydence Allen.
Brownwood’s five-run first inning feature a two-RBI triple by Mares, which scored Campos, who walked, and Lucas, who singled to left field. Still with no outs in the first, a two-RBI single from Burks drove home Mares and Eboni Baker, running for Brenda Allen after a walk. The final run of the frame was the result of an RBI double from Esquivel that scored Burks.
In the four-run second inning, Mares singled, then Brenda Allen, Burks and Kaydence Allen all walked in succession to force in Brownwood’s sixth run of the contest. With the bags still full, Thomas followed with a two-RBI double that rattled off the top of the left field wall. Esquivel then provided an RBI single that brought home Kaydence Allen.
The Lady Lions capped the scoring in the bottom of the fourth as Keas, on base via fielder’s choice, and Campos, who reached on an error, came home on a three-run inside-the-park home run by Lucas, whose line drive to right-center field evaded the defender’s glove and rolled to the fence.
In the circle, Brenda Allen tossed a five-inning complete game, allowing one earned run on five hits with eight strikeouts, four walks and a hit batter, as the Lady Lion defense committed just one error behind her.
“She did an excellent job,” Munguia said of Allen’s performance. “It’s a tough job to come in as a freshman and be told we’re going with your arm until your arm can’t go any more. She got progressively better every single inning. There’s small changes you may not notice where she’s working on pitches and making adjustments and she did a good job of that, and was able to finish the game and do it with a strikeout.”
For Coleman, Kyla Lange finished with two hits and and one RBI, while Olivia Jefferson, Lily Norris and Steely Black added one hit apiece. Campbell and Norris shared time in the circle for the Bluekatts.
The Lady Lions will host the Battle on the Bayou tournament this weekend and play five games Friday and Saturday. Friday’s slate for Brownwood features Lubbock Estacado at 10:30 a.m., Hico at 3 p.m. and Cisco at 4:30 p.m. Then Saturday, the Lady Lions tangle with Burnet at 10:30 a.m. and Hawley at 1:30 p.m.
“I want to continue to see the positivity we’ve had,” Munguia said of her weekend goals for the Lady Lions. “We’re doing a good job because we’re staying positive, we’re staying locked in, and we’re staying a family, and that’s a big thing for me. I also want to see us continue to hit the ball, it comes down to scoring more runs than the other team. We have to clean up some miscues on defense, but that’s going to come with more reps, more confidence and more chemistry.”