Hawks Mail Deliver Message to District, Season Not Over
Hawks discussing who is going to go try and find Kelsey Ahrens’ Home Run Ball
Canyon Lake had an electric game when Kelsey Ahrens hit a 3-run walk off home run in the bottom of the 7th inning, helping CL stay alive for a playoff spot beating unbeaten Bandera, 8-7 on
Kelsey Ahrens and what used to be a round Softball
Tuesday night at Hawk Field.
“No. 1, you never give up or quit believing that we could win,” Head Coach John Gallagher said. “This will motivate you to have inspired practices this week to help ride this into our Wimberley game.”
Coach Gallagher continued, “For all the errors and mental mistakes we had, we battled to take it to them.”
Into the night, was what the crowd saw with amazement as this home run was by far the longest hit ball in Hawk history.
All the Bulldog center fielder could do was watch without moving, as the ball sailed over her head and into the night.
“I have been working hard on my swing and I was staying after practice every day,” Ahrens stamped another answer. “I had to work out the bad habits and I had not been contributing for the team and I knew I had too.”
Ahrens had not been having a good district season up to this momentous night.
Batting Ave. On Base Ave. Slugging Ave. First 6 games .200 .304 .200 After Tonight's Game .261 .370 .522 +.061 + .066 + .322
“I like hitting with pressure,” Ahrens continued her at bat. “I hope this helps in sending us off for our playoffs…We are a hard working team and we deserved to win.”
What a break out game for Ahrens as she even worked a walk in this contest and in Ahrens only out, this 3rd baseman, worked the Bulldog pitcher for a 10 pitch at bat.
That was more pitches than this Bandera pitcher had pitched in two previous innings up to that point in the game.
Carly Dubois thinking about those ‘Spicey’ Meat Balls for Supper (say with heavy Italian accent)
Lead off hitter Carly Dubois helped ignite that last inning, starting off with her third hit of the evening and setting the table for what would be one of the most exciting games in their short history.
“I knew I had to go up there and do the best for the team,” Dubois said with resolve. “Coach was telling me what to do and I’m used to being the first one to start an inning.”
That first pitch was a ball and if watching enough of these games you would be surprised Dubois allowed that pitch to go by without a swing.
“I was watching their pitcher when I was coming up to hit and I did not take any warm up swings and went straight to the batter’s box,” Dubois said while giving The ReSporter writing cramps trying to keep up. “The pitch looked like a ‘Meat Ball’ and I was ready to get on base.”
Canyon Lake was down the whole game as Bandera started with a 4-0 lead through the first three innings.
The Hawks first hit was a Dubois single in the 3rd inning, but she was cut down trying to steal third base and CL still had no runs to show for in this contest.
Dubois, in trying to make something happened, was caught stealing third base and a collision at the bag.
“I hesitated,” Spark plug Dubois started. “As I get older I will learn what I need to do and learn from that mistake.”
CL scored in their next inning when Alexis Robinson was walked and then after advancing to second on a wild pitch, Brianna Young singled her in for a respectable 4-1 game.
Y4 Custom Homes Supports Canyon Lake Softball
The Hawks were threatening in the 5th inning with two singles, but a double play took Canyon Lake out of the inning with no damage and still looking up at a 4-1 deficit.
Bandera would increase their lead with a 3 spot in the top of the 6th inning as CL helped with two errors and a towering double by the Bandera player to help extend the lead, 7-1.
Canyon Lake would answer with a 3-Run inning when Robinson started with a double and Young reached first on an error putting two on base.
Ahrens would give a taste of what was to come when she doubled scoring those two runs and helping answer Bandera’s runs.
Robinson was effective in keeping the deficit to three runs in the top of the 7th with two strikeouts and an easy pop up to Kirsten Jones to end the inning.
Robinson had a gutty performance in the circle having 30 extra pitches and facing 7 more batters after fielding errors. An eight strike out evening with only three walks helped in keeping this game within striking distance.
Dubois would lead off the last inning with a single on her second pitch. Next up, Jones had a 9 pitch at bat but could not reach base after striking out for the Hawk’s first out.
That would be the last recorded out for the game as Robinson would single and advance on an error. Dubois scored on that error drawing Canyon Lake to within two runs of Bandera.
Young had a four pitch walk with her next at bat putting the tying run on base.
Enter Ahrens who quickly was down with two strikes and needing to protect the plate for that wide strike zone that had been evident throughout this game.
One pitch later, Ahrens delivered her air mail message to the league that this season was not quite over for Canyon Lake.
The ball could be picked up in Coach Drum’s back yard the next morning.
“This game means the world,” Dubois said excitedly. “We have just got to work hard to go into Wimberley.”
Canyon Lake will now be in Wimberley this Friday as they try to build on a defining victory while checking on what type of mail delivery service the Texans have.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Bandera 2 0 2 0 0 3 0 7 8 4 CL Hawks 0 0 0 1 0 3 4* 8 12 5 *One out when winning run scored. name ab r h bi 2b hr bb so sb misc cf Carly Dubois 4 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 cs 2b Kirsten Jones 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 p Alexis Robinson 3 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 c Brianna Young 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 roe cr Daniellia Bustamante 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3b Kelsey Ahrens 3 2 2 5 1 1 1 0 0 ss Kat Weber 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 roe dp Tiare Kacir 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 lf Cameron Berger 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 fc 1b Sam York 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 rf Emma Broussard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 totals 29 8 12 7 1 1 3 3 1 pitching ip h r er bb so hb np W L Alexis Robinson 7 8 7 1 3 8 1 122 13 13 balls/strikes: Alexis Robinson 50/72 = 122
