Lady Dawgs erupt for 20 hits for lopsided victory against Jarrell

Nothing changed for the Burnet High School softball team as the Lady Dawgs began District 19-4A play March 15.

The Lady Dawgs (16-3, 1-0) beat Jarrell 12-4 in a contest where they recorded 20 hits led by senior Savannah Gomez, who went 5 for 5 at the plate for 2 RBIs off two singles and two doubles. Sophomore Camrynn Guthrie had a two-run homer.

The Lady Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to two walks and “timely hitting,” Burnet head coach Hailey Wooten said.

“We did our jobs,” she said. “They had a few gap shots, and we made routine plays.”

Burnet responded by putting up seven runs in the second and a run in the fifth for an 8-1 advantage. Jarrell scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Lady Dawgs scored three and one run in the sixth and seventh innings for the victory.

Wooten said she wasn’t worried Burnet wouldn’t score runs, noting her players have responded all season.

“We needed runs on the board,” she said. “They know what to do. They know what’s expected. We hit the ball — that’s the expectation.”

Defensively, Lady Dawg Addie Grace Hernandez had a couple of plays that fired up her teammates, Wooten said, and was truly the definition of owning the “hot corner.”

“She had a couple of down-the-line backhanded stabs she threw to first for outs,” the coach said. “I definitely think it killed momentum for them and did the opposite for us. I think it helps (sophomore pitcher) Kyleigh (Mott) when her teammates can have her back and she’s able to trust the defense when a ball is put in play.”

Mott struck out 12 in seven innings.

Burnet will enjoy the rest of its Spring Break before welcoming Georgetown Gateway at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, to Bulldog Diamonds, 1000 The Green Mile. The junior varsity takes the field at 5 p.m.

“It’s only going to get tougher from here,” Wooten said. “We’ll see what we’re made of.”