Texas Aces High School Highlights

It has been a while since Mitzi Matthews has been in a softball setting, but it did not take long for her to remember the sometimes-cruel nature of the sport.

No matter how good a team is, it’s difficult to win without timely hitting.

Luckily for Matthews and the Dickinson High School Lady Gators, they haven’t found that aspect of the game to be too cruel just yet.

With a 17-4 overall record, Dickinson is well on its way to 20 victories in Matthews’ first season as a coach. More importantly to the Lady Gators, however, they are in contention for the District 23-4A championship.

“The season is going really well right now,” said Matthews, whose team is 4-2 in district play. “We’d like to be 6-0, but we’re hanging in there pretty good. It’s a very competitive district.”

The Lady Gators can take a significant step forward tonight when they host Brazosport, which also is 4-2 in district games. The district race is wide open with Santa Fe in the lead at 5-1 and three other teams (Angleton) at 4-2. Those teams likely do not feel comfortable with their spot in the top four with two-time defending champ Texas City two games back at 2-4.

Matthews saw the Lady Gators get the best of Texas City in the teams’ first meeting. Back-to-back doubles in the eighth inning led to a 1-0 victory over the Lady Stings. When Dickinson played Santa Fe, it was Santa Fe that got the timely hits and won the game.

“At times, it can be frustrating,” Matthews said. “You feel like you have a really good team, but you don’t come through with that hit at the right time. You still have confidence in your kids when they go to the plate.”

Holly Anderson, Shellbee Berringer and Brittany Calderon have led Dickinson at the plate this season. Anderson doubles as the team’s top pitcher, though she has gotten help in the circle from freshman Megan Lamb.

They began to show their skills in nondistrict victories over Richmond Foster, Pasadena Dobie, Deer Park and New Caney as the Lady Gators raced to 13 victories in 15 nondistrict games.

As well as Dickinson has played thus far, however, Matthews said she still would like to see more hits with runners in scoring position. It doesn’t matter how dominant Anderson and Lamb are in the circle, she said, if their teammates don’t provide some run support.

The Lady Gators take on Angleton on Friday. Two victories this week would make them a favorite for a playoff spot in a few weeks, but Matthews said they easily could be sitting at home during the postseason if they don’t continue to get timely offense.

“This district is so competitive that it’s all about who gets that key hit and who makes that key error,” Matthews said. “We have to hang in there and keep playing.”

Big Night for 23-4A

Dickinson’s game with Brazosport isn’t the only key game in 23-4A tonight. District leader Santa Fe takes on Angleton, which is in a three-way tie for second place with Dickinson and Brazosport. Texas City and Friendswood are tied for fifth at 2-4. They meet tonight in a game that could be viewed as a must-win for both teams since the loser will fall three games out of the last playoff spot.