Hawks Still Working Magic in Win Over Hondo, 5-4
Freshman Kenzie Sayles has double in win over Hondo, 5-4.
Canyon Lake continued their magic act, when the Hawks scored 2 runs in their top of the 7th inning to snatch victory from a ‘Hat’ with a win over Hondo, 5-4.
Playing with fire has a chance of being volatile after CL’s defense coughed up 8 errors causing all of those Owl’s runs to be unearned. However, that does not take away your opponent’s scores but can only give you good excuses for a loss or have a collective, ‘Whew!!’, we got away with one, type of reactions.
Maddy Puente was johnny on the spot on this night when she had a double that scored two Hawks and eventual win on this night.
Puente has tied the record for most doubles (10) hit in a season with Brianna Young and Lauren Mentzer and more importantly kept Canyon Lake on a path for a chance of finishing district without a loss.
In those last two games, has had the Hawks needing two runs during their last frame for a win. Their Bandera game, Canyon Lake, needed all the runs they could muster to stay at arms length from being caught by those Dogs.
Cardiac could be another word for this district season with only one game that has had CL with a comfortable victory.
Hondo jumped out for a 3 run lead in their half of that 2nd inning. All of those runs were unearned when The Lake’s 3 errors were mixed with one single for the Owls in that inning. Giving CL another contest where they would need to fight to get back in the contest losing, 3-0.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
Canyon Lake would not be able to get any thing goring for those first 4 innings of play but the top of the 5th had the Hawks with a 3 run rally to tie the game. Hondo’s defense was not without error after the home team helped when Angie Rodriguez reached first base on an error on an infield play to 3rd base. Two quick outs still had CL with Rodriguez on 2nd base and nothing happening offensively.
That changes when, Kenzie Sayles’ double, would plate Rodriguez for the Hawk’s first tally and then a Bailey Bryan walk had CL still working on more runs with two outs. With that walk, Bryan kept her streak alive in reaching base for each game this season.
This is quite a feat as there were some early games Canyon Lake was playing some larger schools in tournaments that will many times have your line-up not even making two rotations which would give some batters at the most, 2 at bats, in a game.
Keep Going Hawks!!
Luckily, Canyon Lake would tie this district contest on the Owl’s second error and new life, tying up Hondo, 3-3.
Those wise Owls would take their advantage back immediately in the bottom half of that 5th inning, Starting their half of this inning with two singles and then, on a fielder’s choice the bases would be loaded and still no outs for Canyon Lake.
There would need to be some type of magical act to keep this game with a chance of pulling off a victory for the ‘Good Guys’.
An infield Hawk error would score another Owl for their lead, 4-3 and the first out one batter later on a lazy pop up. This escape, of getting sawed in half, had Hondo leaving 2 on base after scoring one run when they loaded the bases with no outs.
Canyon Lake has won 7 games in a row and in 5 of those victories the Hawks have had to come back to take the lead. So nothing new, except there are just so many rabbits in a hat and the Hawks next contest will be against Fredericksburg who will want to make things right and even out a two game series after a Hawk, 8-5 win the first time these two schools went to battle.
Back to the game, as your Hawks would now have two innings left in getting back their advantage going into the 6th inning.
Two ground outs and a pop out to the pitcher had Canyon Lake now down to just one more chance to keep their unblemished district record intact.
Don Chente says Go Lady Hawks!
Hondo would be threatening again and Canyon Lake’s magic act would still be in high gear after the first two Owl hitters reached base via infield errors and now CL’s pitcher, Maggie Banks, needing to see if another rabbit would be in her hat.
After reaching down into that hat, Banks would grab just one ear as that next Owl player grounded out but now the Home Team would have two runners in scoring position with two outs still needed.
McElroy, one of the two Hondo pitchers who had been alternating with Benavides in the circle, was up next. A full count pop-out to Adriana Peaslee at 3rd base to get one out closer to getting out of another magic act inning.
Yes, another rabbit was in that proverbial hat and a one pitch ground out to first baseman Rodriguez would end the threat, and Canyon Lake still needing some runs to get this hard fought win. Good news was having the top of the batting order starting with Marley Carrizales being first up.
Way to Go Hawks!!
A Carrizales single came at the right time and then the 12th error of this game would put two Hawks on base with Hondo still looking for their first out.
A double steal by Carrizales and Sayles would have CL in good shape in scoring but Bryan would strike out with Maddy Puente coming up next. Puente, in her two year career has been better at the plate during district games vs. regular season contests.
This campaign has Maddy Puente with a healthy .526 average and her 2 year total of a lofty .545 average. Puente is resently on a 10 game hitting streak. This time Puente would just miss a home-run but her double still scored the two runs needed for that final magic act being a disappearing part of the show and Hawk lead, 5-4.
Canyon Lake, not shy in giving a good show for the whole audience, would start this final curtain call giving up 2 singles and the Hawks 8th error for those first 3 Owls that came to the plate.
So, no outs and bases loaded and the crowd would be on their feet to see if this magician (Canyon Lake) would be able to get those runners to disappear with no runs scored.
It started with a Kay Puente to Carrizales throw to 3rd base to catch that Owl with her eyes closed and the first out on the throw and then a strike-out looking that quickly had this magic act being more to the visitors liking for a good ending.
Go, Go, Go Hawks!!
Banks would get that final out after Hondo’s batter grounded out and Canyon Lake would get in their bus with another Houdini crowd pleasing win for the good guys.
Now, Canyon Lake will return home for their final home game pitted against Fredericksburg where a win would win the District Championship and a loss would delay the celebrating until their final game. If both schools win or lose then a one game playoff would be needed.
If one team wins and the other loses then that team with the final win would be crowned District 28-4A Champion.
The Hawks will need to be on the look-out for some more rabbits as this next act might be a grand finale!!
Go Hawks!!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E CL Hawks 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 5 7 8 Hondo 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 4 6 5 ab r h bi 2b bb so misc Marley Carrizales 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 sb cs Kenzie Sayles 4 2 1 1 1 0 0 sb 3 roe 2 Bailey Bryan 3 1 0 0 0 1 1 sb Maddy Puente 4 0 2 2 1 0 0 roe Maggie Banks 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 Adriana Peaslee 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 roe Kay Puente 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Angie Rodriguez 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 roe Adriana Zunker 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 totals 31 5 7 3 2 1 3 pitching ip h r er bb so W L Maggie Banks 7.0 6 4 0 0 5 12 6 Pitches-strikes: 100-71
