Softball squads kick off seasons with tournament play

By Landan Kuhlmann

As the calendar prepares to flip to the spring, several area softball teams are already off and running in tournament play, with several squads making strong statements to open the season. One of the Class 6A leaders early on is the George Ranch Lady Longhorns, who are off to a 4-0 start for the first time in the program’s 10-year history. George Ranch defeated District 20-6A foe Clements 14-0 on Feb. 14 before sweeping through the Bayou Classic Tourna - ment Feb. 16-18. Zaria Turner pitched a complete-game shutout with nine strikeouts in the circle in a 1-0 win over Prosper on Feb. 16.

Karrlauhn Deas, Jesyca Johnston, and Mariah Garner had three hits apiece in a 9-2 win over Vista Ridge on Feb. 12, with Garner and Kathleen Dolan driving in two runs each. Six players had multiple hits in the win over Clements led by Dolan’s four knocks, while Garner homered and drove in four runs.

Elsewhere in the area, Ridge Point took down Bush 17-0 on Feb. 14 before splitting a pair of games to Corpus Christi

Carroll (12-0 win) and The Woodlands (14-6 loss) on Feb. 16. Jade Uresti homered twice and drove in four runs for Ridge Point (2-1, 1-0 district) against Bush, with Alexandria Rezac fanning all nine hitters she faced in the circle. Nohea Anderson homered against Carroll, and Uresti tripled while driving in four runs. Bush rebounded from the loss to Ridge Point to go 3-1 in tournament play from Feb. 16-18. Kiersten Kyle had three hits while Dakota Maldonado drove in two runs in a 9-6 victory over Eisenhower on Feb. 17. Adrianna Rivera doubled and drove in two runs for the Lady Broncos

(3-2, 0-1) in a 15-6 win over Nimitz later that day.

Austin’s Lady Bulldogs endured a tough 2-4 result at the Ball on the Beach tournament Feb. 16-18, but did manage to cap off the tournament with an 111 win over Benjamin Davis on Feb. 18. Alyssa Carter had two hits including a triple and three RBIs for Austin (2-5, 0-1) against Benjamin Davis, while Amira Marfani and Charlotte O’Callaghan drove in two runs apiece. Zoey Zamora struck out five while throwing a complete game in the circle. Dulles went 2-4 at the Katy ISD tournament Feb. 16-18, though they did win two of their final three