Marble Falls softball goes 2-0 on 1st day of own tourney
CAPTION: Patience and poise at the plate are a couple of traits Marble Falls High School coaches are emphasizing to the Lady Mustangs. Here junior Kylie Roberts fouls off a ball to stay alive. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Marble Falls High School softball team beat Universal City Randolph 17-2 and Bastrop Cedar Creek 6-2 Feb. 29 on the first day of the Mustang Round-up.
Head coach Alex Lozoya said there was plenty to like about his team’s performances.
Top of the list was the way the Lady Mustangs (7-6-2) played defense two days after miscues paved the way to a 15-0 loss to Pflugerville Weiss.
“With our defense overall, we were very, very happy,” he said. “Our game against Cedar Creek was very similar to a lot of balls against Weiss. We were there and able to make plays.”
With the Lady Mustangs leading 3-2, junior Emma Cayce stepped to the plate to bat with the bases loaded. Down 0-2 in the count, Cayce used the traits that make hitters great and frustrate pitchers — patience and poise. Lozoya noted the junior didn’t chase bad pitches, which resulted in drawing a walk giving the Lady Mustangs another run.
By the end of the contest, Cayce had gone 3-4 at the plate with 2 singles, a double and “a clutch walk” that fired up her teammates, the coach said.
“The kids celebrated that walk,” he said. “That kept the pressure on the defense. We wanted to continue to keep pressure on the defense.”
While Lozoya praised Cayce for being disciplined at the plate, he pointed out that result is because of the communication the Lady Mustangs have with assistant coaches Hailey Wooten and Aspen Howie. He noted the coaches and players talk a lot about the mechanics of being a productive hitter that includes technique and also being mentally tough.
They also are emphasizing to take what the pitcher gives them, that getting on base is invaluable and that sometimes, being the hero is accepting the free base and illustrating trust in your teammates by passing the bat to them, Lozoya said.
That was evident in what happened after Cayce accepted the walk.
Sophomore Mackenzie Grider brought two Lady Mustangs home.
“The kids have done a good job of buying into what coach Wooten and coach Howie are teaching,” Lozoya said. “The kids are very open to them. The kids have done a very good job of getting on base with walks that could have gone the other way. The kids are recognizing what they should put a barrel on. You can’t score unless you get on base.”
Meanwhile junior pitcher Camille Catalfamo kept Cedar Creek off balance.
“She’s been very consistent,” Lozoya said. “Our defense found ways. Even after a miscue happens and they felt like a call didn’t go our way, they went back to work and the ball was hit harder.”
While the Lady Mustangs scored lots of runs against Universal City, Lozoya said he was pleased with the poise and patience his players displayed. He noted they took advantage of some free bases and swung at balls for base hits.
He commended the defense, pointing out the Lady Mustangs didn’t let up, no matter who was in the circle. He said he saw improvement on the mishaps that haunted his team during the 15-0 loss to Pflugerville Weiss two nights earlier.
“The defense found a way to remove the miscues and pick it up,” the coach said. “They did what they were supposed to do.”
Sophomore Marisol Ramos was the pitcher. Lozoya noted Ramos’ versatility allows him to move her to different positions. She has played in all but two defensive positions this season.
“We want to put her in spots to make plays,” he said. “She’s a very valuable utility athlete. I’m hoping to find her more innings. Her ability to play other positions and Camille’s consistency in pitching and pounding the strike zone helps us put our best defense out there.”
The coach noted that junior Kylie Roberts had a very busy day. In addition to playing in both softball games, she also is a thrower for the Marble Falls High School track team, which hosted its Mustang Relays Feb. 29. Roberts took double silver in the discus and shot put.
“She got a couple of ground balls and got a couple of good hits to close out Cedar Creek at second base,” Lozoya said.
The Lady Mustangs return to tournament play Saturday, March 4, by facing Cedar Creek at 2:15 p.m., Randolph at 4 p.m. and St. Mary’s Hall at 5:45 p.m. all at Scearce Softball Field on the high school campus.
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