Texas Aces High School Highlights


Brazoria County: Where Texas Began \| Wednesday, April 2

Pink Power: Lady Bucs win, 1-0

By Butch McReynolds
Special to The Facts

Published April 5, 2008

CLUTE — Playing before a sea of pink and a courageous group of cancer survivors, the Brazoswood Lady Bucs overcame a scare of their own Friday night by holding off a determined bunch from Clear Creek by a 1-0 count behind a one-hitter from senior Lana Hairston.

The Lady Bucs dedicated the night to the battle against cancer by donning pink jerseys, while many of their fans in the stands also wore pink shirts and waved pink towels as Brazoswood (20-2-1 overall, 7-2 in District 24-5A) used an unearned run in the third inning to pull off the nailbiting victory over the Lady Wildcats (2-6 in district).

As expected, long-time girl’s softball legend Barbara Monte was on hand to throw out the first pitch, but it was the hard-throwing Hairston, who mopped up the rest of the night, striking out 12 Lady Wildcat hitters, walking one and giving up only single to center in the sixth inning to opposing hurler Katie Moulder.

Hairston, who pushed her season log to 12-1, blended her pitches well on the cold, windy night, setting down the first 13 hitters before allowing a walk on a close 3-2 pitch to Jordan Mattison with one out in the fifth.

Brazoswood did not fare much better against Creek’s Moulder, who was touched for the only run of the game in the third inning. In that frame, Mallory Linscomb reached on an error by the Lady Wildcat third baseman and then moved to second on a walk to Alex Dole. Another error loaded the bases full of pink-clad Lady Bucs before a force out at home produced the first out of the inning.

Brazoswood then scored its run when Ashley Kappler hit a shot in the hole that shortstop Amy Kossi made a nice stop on but had to go to first as her only play.

The Lady Bucs had another golden scoring opportunity in the fifth inning. With one out, the Lady Bucs smacked three straight singles off the bats of Megan Bailey, Lindsey Kappler and Ashley Kappler. But the swift Bailey was nailed at home plate trying to score for the second out.

Moments later the promising inning completely went awry when Kossi made another dazzling play, this time robbing Taryn Broussard of a hit by snaring her liner.

Hairston then took over and “pinked out” the Lady Wildcats with a pair of strike outs and then a throw by catcher Linscomb to third to chop down a would be base stealer, ending the inning with no further damage.

Hairston set the Lady Wildcats down in order in the seventh on a pair of lazy pop flies and a strike out.

Another tough one is in store for Brazoswood as it travels to Alvin for a 7 p.m. Tuesday game.