CL Hawks Have Sweet 16 Wins in Navarro Tourney
Maddy Puente & Bailey Bryan with Home-Run Balls
Canyon Lake left their last day at the Navarro Tournament with a sweep, as the Austin Royals and Yoakum Bulldogs were the victims of the Hawk’s power.
The Hawk’s scored 16 runs in both games, while stroking 28 hits with 7 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 home-runs making up 10 of those 28 hits.
CL finished the Navarro Tourney in 2nd place out of 24 teams for their best finish since they started attending this first of the year set of games.
“With this line-up we are pretty strong from one to nine with our power, bunting, and slapping,” Head Coach John Gallagher stated.
On having one inning where the first 3 consecutive batters had bunted singles, Coach Gallagher commented, “That was text book….we executed well, we ran the bases well and we got the big hits.”
Mima’s likes the ‘flavors’ the Hawks are serving up.
Yoakum was the most satisfying victory of the two games on Saturday, as the Bulldogs had won all 4 district games the past two years. Three of those games were decided by one run leaving Canyon Lake looking for answers during their district games those two years.
The first inning looked like this might be another one of those games with a razor thin, 2-1 first inning advantage for the Lady Hawks. CL started with a two out walk coaxed by Kat Weber and then a ball ripped down the 3rd base line by Maddy Puente for a double set the stage for Lauren Mentzer.
With two on, Junior Mentzer would help her own cause with a line-drive single scoring both Hawks. Mentzer, with that hit would have all the runs needed for what would be a blow out affair.
Yoakum responded with a double that scored on a Hawk error in the bottom of the 1st that had the Bulldogs back in the game.
That was the last time these Bulldogs would entertain a glimpse of winning this game.
Go Hawks!!
Canyon Lake had more fireworks in store for their former district mate, when Marley (I want a Reeses) Carrizales had a sharp single that turned into a 3 base error on the throw as the weather center was put on notice that there seemed to be some circulation of air that is seen for tornadoes. This scare was dispelled when no threatening clouds were seen in the area.
Yes, this young Hawk got around the bases that quickly, proving that a Reeses can be a source of energy.
Carley Dubois and Bailey Bryan were up next with two consecutive doubles while Puente would cap the 4 run inning with a hit and then scoring on a wild pitch.
CL was not finished with their power game as an unexpected strong bat from Bryan, as she was the second Hawk with a grand slam for this tourney (Puente had accomplished the feat on Thursday). This two out homer was a first ever for Bryan, as the crowd could affirm by the smile on her face while circling the bases.
“I was watching the ball and I did not think it was going over,” Bryan said with a broad smile. “That was my first and it was really exciting!”
Another 5 run inning in the top of the 5th inning would put these Dogs out of their misery. Puente had her 2nd home-run in the tourney and this time it was a 3-run shot. During this at bat Dubois stole home base which would have qualified for another grand-slam if this speedster had stayed on base.
Italian Garden Says Go Lady Hawks
“I had two strikes on me and all I was thinking was get a base hit,” Puente quipped. “This was a good day and we are starting to jell as a team.”
Speed combined with power is a good tandem to possess for a softball line-up and that was displayed throughout the Navarro Tourney.
Canyon Lake’s slugging percentage for the two games on Saturday was a staggering, .808 percentage.
Yes, those 4 errors for the two games needs to be reduced but this Hawk team has the potential to put a hurt on teams which will be a good thing as there are more teams like Yoakum that have exacted pain on Canyon Lake these past few seasons.
In that first game against Austin Royals, Canyon Lake was helped by a Jessie Melendez’s bat that stroked a double and triple in the first inning as CL scored all of the runs needed in coasting through this game early.
Puente was in the circle for this contest as all 4 run’s were unearned as both Hawk pitchers did not allow a walk on this dominating day.
Hawks Flying High
Mentzer’s pitching day was just as impressive as her first 19 pitches were for strikes as she pitched across the plate 85% of her throws. Impressive!
“I had some good warm-ups,” Mentzer commented on how well her day went. “This was a good day and all, I was just working on my spins.”
Puente was right there with her circle antics with an 80% strike to ball ratio.
A good day for the Hawks as they will now prepare for hosting the Hill Country Tournament this next weekend after a road game in Luling on Tuesday.
Go Hawks!!
First Game 1 2 3 R H E CL Hawks 16 0 0 16 11 3 Austin Royals 2 0 2 4 2 2 ab r h bi 2b 3b bb so sb misc Bailey Bryan 3 2 2 2 0 0 1 0 1 Grace Hinze 2 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Kat Weber 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 roe Faith McMullen 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Maddy Puente 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 Adriana Peaslee 1 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 Maggie Banks 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 roe Jessie Melendez 3 2 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 Cassidy Martin 2 2 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 ph Char Hutson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Emma Wetz 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 totals 20 16 10 9 3 1 5 5 2 pitching ip h r er bb so W L Maddy Puente 3 2 4 0 0 5 2 0 pitches/strikes: 65/52 ----------==================---------------==============------ Second Game 1 2 3 4 5 R H E CL Hawks 2 4 4 1 5 16 17 1 Yoakum 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 ab r h bi 2b hr bb so sb misc Carley Dubois 4 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 fc Bailey Bryan 3 3 3 4 1 1 0 0 1 Kat Weber 2 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 Maddy Puente 4 3 3 3 1 1 0 1 0 Lauren Mentzer 4 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 Adriana Peaslee 3 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 Adriana Zunker 4 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Grace Hinze 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 fc 2 Marley Carrizales 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 totals 32 16 17 10 4 2 3 2 4 pitching ip h r er bb so W L misc Lauren Mentzer 5 2 1 0 0 5 3 2 hb wp 2 pitches/strikes: 60/51
