Burnet softball team beats Lady Mustangs in first matchup

Burnet softball team beats Lady Mustangs in first matchup Jennifer Fierro Special To The Highlander Tue, 04/02/2024 - 02:29 Image

• Sophomore Cheyenne Thompson had two hits against Burnet, the most on the Lady Mustangs' roster. Photos by Jennifer Fierro/TexasChalkTalk.com
• Freshman Jocelyn Suarez had a hit during the Lady Mustangs' loss to Burnet.

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The Burnet High School softball team defeated Marble Falls 12-0 March 28 to finish the first round of District 244A play.

The Lady Dawgs needed only five innings.

Burnet entered this contest after squeaking out a 7-6 win against Jar - rell March 26 where the Lady Cougars led 6-2 until the fifth inning. The Lady Dawgs scored a run in the fifth, 3 in the sixth and the winning run in the seventh. Lozoya said it's not uncommon for teams that escape with victories to play at a championship level the next time they compete. The score may indi - cate Marble Falls played poorly, but that's not the case, he said. When asked how many hits the Lady Dawgs had, he said, "Too many." "I honestly couldn't tell you," he said. "They had singles and doubles." Marble Falls (11-13, 0-5) switched pitchers when Burnet was going to bat the third time. "Our pitchers and de - fense didn't play bad," the coach said. "(Fresh - man shortstop) Jocelyn Suarez and (junior second baseman) Kylie Roberts made some good plays that were not easy to make. (Senior outfielder) Aydan Ortis ran toward the fence to make catch- es. When our kids had op - portunities to make plays, they made plays. We told them after the game, 'The balls you had a chance to make plays, you made plays.' Burnet earned their 12 runs." He was especially impressed with Burnet junior pitcher Presley Crawford and senior catcher Camrynn Guth - rie, who combined for 12 strikeouts. Marble Falls got 3 hits - two singles from sophomore Chey - enne Thompson and one from Suarez - and drew 3 walks.

"Presley was on," he said. "Ever since I saw her pitch the first time, I've liked the way she has presence in the cir - cle. She's different than (Georgetown Gateway junior pitcher) Chloe El - lis. Presley thinks 'I can throw it past you. I can throw it this way, I can throw it that way.' A big piece of her game that sometimes gets forgotten is her catcher."

He noted that Guth - rie's ability, as a right - ie, to catch Crawford's pitches, as a leftie, entices umpires.

"We don't have the movement that Presley has to make that 50-50 pitch (that can be called a foul ball) 100 percent a strike," he said. "The way Camrynn sticks it and moves it and makes the umpire look at it -- it's her body position. It's a great spot." At the beginning of the contest, the Lady Mustangs showed pa - tience at the plate, but the 50-50 pitches were called strikes. "We started swing ing out of the zone cause our thinking was the um - pire is going to call it (a strike) anyway," Lozoya said. "The way Camrynn catches it says 'it's going to be a strike because I want it to be a strike.' She has a high level for where it is going to be. Presley looks good and does a good job."

Gateway beat Lago Vista 2-0 and Lampasas beat Jarrell 9-7. Lozoya indicated it wouldn't sur - prise him if the games continue to be close the rest of the season.

"We have to keep swimming, we have to keep trending water," he said. "I told the kids it's Easter weekend. It's a re - set for everybody." Marble Falls wel - comes Jarrell at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, to Scearce Field. "The field looks amaz - ing," Lozoya said. "Spe - cial thanks to our field maintenance guys Jeff Hall and David Atwood for all they do for our kids."

Jennifer Fierro publishes reports about area youth athletic events on her website TexasChalk-Talk.com. To send her a note, email fierrojenni fer@yahoo.com.