Grand slam lifts Lady Apaches to 5-1 win

GONZALES — A grand-slam blast over left field in the first inning by senior third baseman Karina Vara proved to be the difference as the Gonzales Lady Apaches won 5-1 over the Geronimo Navarro Lady Panthers on Wednesday.

“We jumped on Navarro quick in the first inning,” Gonzales head coach Sam White said. “That was a big hit by Karina, that grand slam. That put us in a position to keep patient, to keep working.”

A rain out Tuesday moved the game to Wednesday, meaning the Lady Apaches needed all seven innings from Carla Torres whose return to the mound has been huge for the team this late in the season.

“Carla has been hurt most of the season,” White noted. “She pitched good against Austin Eastside last week, that was kind of a warmup for her. Being able to go seven innings this game — I’m just really proud of her. She’s worked hard trying to get back after a tough injury.”

Torres finished the night pitching all seven innings, giving up three hits, one earned run, one walk and five strikeouts.

At the plate, Jaycie Burton led the way on a full-count single. Morgan Mason followed with a single of her own. Both Skylea Tatsch and Carla Torres battled from a 2-2 count to get the walk, with Tatsch loading up the bases and Torres plating Burton. Then with two strikes on her, Vara drove the ball over the fence for the early 5-0 lead.

“That’s huge,” White said of their batters’ at-bats facing two strikes. “What we’ve been working on was really having quality at-bats, making that pitcher go deep in the count because the more the opponent has to throw, the more the arm has to adjust. [It’s about] getting the count in the hitter’s favor rather than the pitcher’s favor.”

Those would be the only Gonzales’ runs of the night as Navarro held the Lady Apaches scoreless for the rest of the game. Fortunately, the Lady Apaches’ defense had just two errors, allowing one run, a third-inning home run by Bailee Stanzione.

“That’s the defense that I always thought we had all year long,” White said of his fielders. “I know we made an error, first base dropping it, but those things are going to happen. They didn’t score that inning after that.”

“When you make an error, somebody’s got to step up and get those outs and not let that run score. I’m proud of our infield.”

In the fourth inning, Navarro’s Alexis Valdez came away with a single. Torres struck out Emily Hinkelmann, then forced Sydnie Booker to pop up to put two outs on the board. But on Lindsey Gresham’s at-bat, Valdez made it to third via stolen bases. Gresham walked, but was later caught stealing, leaving the Lady Panthers scoreless. The Lady Apaches would retire the next nine batters to end the game with the 5-1 win.

Vara led the team in batting going 2-for-2 with a single, a home run with four RBIs and a walk. Kendra Williams went 2-for-3, both singles.

The win automatically clinches a playoff spot for the Lady Apaches as they have the tiebreaker over Austin Eastside Memorial. It also forces a tie at third with Navarro, who previously beat the Lady Apaches in the first round of district 12-2.

“The first round was tough. The second round, I think we proved tonight that we’re just as good as those other teams,” White said. “I think all the adversity in the early part of the year has prepared us. It’s like peaking in the right moment.”

The Lady Apaches’ health is also a factor late this season as White now has a full roster with Torres back, which allows him to lean on both Torres and Burton as his pitchers.

“Jaycie has done a great job keeping us going all year long and now with Carla back, that gives me two really good pitchers to get ready toward the playoffs,” he said.

The Lady Apaches took on La Vernia Thursday night, losing 8-6.

NHS     001 000 0 – 1 3 0

GHS     500 000 x – 5 6 2