Sports

Early deficit dooms Owls’ bi-district hopes

Laredo -- Things didn’t bode well for the Hondo Owls from the start of Friday’s bi-district softball playoff contest.

After the District 29-AAA runner-up Owls went down in order in the top of the first, Robstown reponded with five unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning.

And any chance the Owls had of continuing their postseason run ended in the sixth inning, when the Cotton Pickers scored six times. Even though Hondo finished with four in the seventh inning, it wasn’t nearly enough, in a 12-7 Robstown win at the Laredo ISD's Zachry Softball Complex.

The Owls’ season ends with a second place finish in district and a 17-13 record. Robstown advances in the playoffs to face Port Isabel at area.

Robstown picked up four hits, including a pair of doubles in the bottom of the first, but they were greatly assisted by three Hondo errors, which led to a quick 5-0 lead.

Hondo began to chip its way back into the game with runs in the second and third innings.

Jana Peters hit a two-out single in the second to become the Owls’ first baserunner. Ashley Neuman walked and Prysilla Ramon delivered an RBI single. Gari Zinsmeyer singled to load the bases, but they were left stranded.

In the third, Hondo pulled within 5-3. After a leadoff walk, Tori Martinez singled, and Iris Saldivar reached base on a fielder’s choice which erased J’Lynn Rothe at third. Melanie Van Damme walked to fill up the bases again. Peters connected for a sacrifice fly to left field and Neuman singled to right for another RBI.

Robstown added a run in the bottom of the fifth, by stringing together four singles.

But the game was put away in the sixth when the Cotton Pickers scored six runs, five of them earned, off of six hits, including three more doubles.

Even though the game was basically out of reach, at 12-3, Hondo kept fighting. The Owls scored four unearned runs, all with two outs. A pair of errors, along with singles from Maddy Ainsley and Martinez brought the final score up to 12-7.

Both teams made plenty of contact, with the Cotton Pickers outhitting the Owls, 16-10.

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