Lady Lions shut out Rattlers to seize District Championship

Under the watchful eye of a capacity home crowd, the Lady Lions played an historic game on Saturday evening, shutting out the San Marcos Lady Rattlers and taking the District 27-5A championship for themselves.

Both teams took the field with only one defeat on the District season, setting the stakes high from the first pitch. Because they took their only loss on the season to

the Lady Rattlers in the first round of play, the Lady Lions were ready for payback. That payback came in the form of a defensive wall that held San Marcos scoreless for the first time this season.

Lockhart played error less defense and kept the Rattlers off the base paths all night. Pitcher Amanda White threw a one-hitter until the top of the seventh inning with the first two batters on the inning each singled back to back.

Still, the defense was able to strand both runners on base, closing out the game and securing the championship.

The Lady Lions scored their two runs in the fifth inning by back-to-back singles by Alex Hedspeth and Katelyn Tull.

Hedspeth and Tull stole second and third on a passed ball from the catcher, and Hedspeth was able to race home for the first run of the game when the catcher sailed her throw into left field while trying to throw out Hedspeth.

Tull advanced to third on the throw home by the left-fielder.

The next batter, Merina Mills, sent a long fly ball to right field for a sacrifice fly to score Tull for the second run of the game.

“Defense was stellar all night long as the outfielders ran down balls in the gaps and the infield played stingy as well not allowing a ground ball through,” Coach Katy Snell said. “Hedspeth and Gracie Bell left their feet on two occasions to rob the Rattlers of two base hits.”