Baseball/softball roundup: Rams continue perfect start to season

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

The Waltrip Rams have been a perennial playoff team in recent seasons, having made the postseason every year for nearly two decades and winning three district titles over the past four seasons. But this season’s start is among the best in school history, and they continued it last week.

Last week, Waltrip swept through four District 19-5A games, taking two games from Northside on March 7 (7-1) and March 10 (13-1) before taking down Galena Park by a score of 3-0 on Monday and 1-0 on Tuesday to move to 14-0 overall on the season and 6-0 in district.

Nick Russell had one of the standout performances of the week for the Rams, throwing a complete-game shutout in the win against Galena Park on Monday. Russell struck out six hitters in the effort and walked just two while allowing just five hits.

The 13-game winning streak to start the season is the best start for Waltrip in the program’s history, and the Rams were looking to continue their perfect start with another scheduled game against Galena Park on Tuesday night.

Elsewhere in public school action, the Heights Bulldogs went 3-2 at the Fort Bend ISD Tournament March 9-11 before taking down district rival Lamar on Monday to improve to 10-6 on the season and 3-0 in District 186A. Brady Pro had two hits and an RBI against Lamar, and also threw a complete game on the mound with five strikeouts.

Robert Robinson and Paul Smith had six hits (including four extra base hits) and six RBIs in the FBISD Tournament, while Brady Pro reached base in seven of 13 plate appearances.

Ethan Lopez had the standout pitching performance of the weekend for Heights, giving up just two runs in

6.2 innings in a loss to Katy Taylor.

The Booker T. Washington Eagles were also perfect last week, taking down Wheatley 11-1 on March 8 and 17-0 on March 11 before beating Yates 19-1 on Monday to move to 5-0 overall and in district competition.

In private school action, St. Pius X split a pair of games last week, beating Pasadena 8-0 on March 8 before dropping an 11-6 decision to Milby in extra innings. The Panthers (8-4) will next travel to Louisiana for the Lutcher Tournament Thursday through Sunday.

Softball

In public school action, the Heights Lady Bulldogs were victorious in their only game of the week, a 5-4 win over Westide on March 10. Hayley Jaime and Kennedy Hill notched a hit and RBI apiece for the Lady Bulldogs (16-2-1, 3-0) in the win, while Jaime also struck out 11 batters in a completegame effort in the circle.

Waltrip’s Lady Rams dropped a couple of tough games last week, losing 7-6 in eight innings to Galena Park on March 7 and dropping a 12-5 decision to

Splendora on March 10, but bounced back with a 16-0 win over Sharpstown on Monday. Cinthia Castillo hit for the cycle and had three RBIs for Waltrip (9-4, 6-1) in the loss to Galena Park, while Gabby Thomas-Brice added three hits of her own along with two RBIs.

Booker T. Washington’s Lady Eagles split two games last week, losing 14-6 against Furr on March 8 before winning via forfeit by Yates in their scheduled March 11 game. The Lady Eagles are now 4-1 on the season and in district play.

On the private school side, St. Pius X’s Lady Panthers had a tough week, going 2-4 at the San Marcos Tournament March 9-11, though they did also register a 13-7 win against Lutheran South Academy on March 7. Margo Kieschnick had a grand slam and five RBIs for SPX (16-9) against Lutheran South, while Brooke Landry and Jade Velez notched two hits and two RBIs apiece. Kennedy Flenner also had seven strikeouts in three innings in the circle.