Texas Aces High School Highlights

DICKINSON — Dickinson High School softball coach Missy Milutin had a smile on her face Friday night. Milutin had a good reason to be smiling. She’d just watched her Lady Gators secure their first District 23-4A victory with a 6-1 decision over La Marque.

In a tight race, the Lady Gators (7-9, 1-4 district) now have something to build on as they try to climb back into the postseason chase. After a string of one- and two-run losses, Milutin said she was proud to see her team finally play a complete game.

“We finished the job out there tonight,” she said. “We played well defensively, and we got the big two-out hits when we needed them. La Marque jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but we didn’t panic.”

With the game tied at one in the fourth inning, Dickinson broke it wide open.

Chelsea Winters doubled, driving home Ashley Ginn with the go-ahead run. Winters scored when Kaylee Hawkins reached on an error. Hannah Welton singled to bring Hawkins across the plate for a 4-1 lead.

The Lady Gators’ Holly Anderson swatted her second double to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Two batters later, she scored on Destiny Cooper’s single. Hawkins’ single brought home Cooper to give Dickinson its final run.

In addition to her big night at the plate, Anderson took over in the circle in the fourth. She pitched a pair of shutout innings and struck out two. Winters pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings.

“Holly (Anderson) and Chelsea (Winters) really came through big for us,” Milutin said. “We’ve been kind of snake-bitten in a lot of ways this season, but it isn’t too late for us to climb back into the race. We played with a lot of confidence tonight.”

The Lady Gators travel to Brazosport Tuesday. La Marque (0-6 district) faces Santa Fe at home Tuesday.