GIRLS ON FIRE: State-ranked Lady ’Hounds bulldozing through 31-5A

San Benito Lady Greyhound Amber Jasso is seen (above) celebrating with her teammates during Thursday night’s victory over the Nikki Rowe Lady Warriors. Also pictured (below) is San Benito’s Kimberly Harper, a freshman, sliding into third. (Photos by T.J. Tijerina)

San Benito Lady Greyhound Amber Jasso is seen (above) celebrating with her teammates during Thursday night’s victory over the Nikki Rowe Lady Warriors. Also pictured (below) is San Benito’s Kimberly Harper, a freshman, sliding into third. (Photos by T.J. Tijerina)

Special to the NEWS

SB softball pic3-3-31-13These girls are on FIRE!

With apologies to Alicia Keys, there’s no other way to describe the San Benito Lady ’Hounds, who stormed to another shutout on Thursday night, this time a 6-0 win over McAllen Rowe.

Behind another dominating performance from Lady ’Hound pitcher Amber Jasso, San Benito improved to 21-1 overall on the year and 11-0 in district by earning a season sweep of Rowe. The girls are now ahead of Rowe (17-6, 8-3) and PSJA North by three games in 31-5A with five games remaining.

“It was a big game for us and all of our girls stepped up,” San Benito skipper Elias Martinez said. “It’s a big win for us and gives us that three-game cushion. But that doesn’t mean we’re gonna take anyone lightly. Anyone can beat anyone in this district.”

Jasso notched 13 strikeouts and scattered only three hits as the Lady Warriors could not keep up with her for most of the game.

“I’m feeling really comfortable because I trust my girls,” Jasso said. “I just feel relaxed. It’s a good feeling.”

SB softball pic2-3-31-13Like they have in their recent hot streak of 10 straight wins, the girls got going early on.

Jasso started the game with a shot to left-center for a double and then later came home on an error. Dina Treviño scored the second run on Jackie Elizondo’s (2-for-3) RBI single down the first-base line for a 2-0 lead.

Nikki Rowe threatened in the second when Tori Polanco drew a leadoff walk. With two away, Ventura Acosta singled and Polanco headed for second. She reached base, but then lost her footing and was alertly tagged out to end the inning.

Then the Lady Warriors had something going once again in the fourth, as Maddie Prukop launched a leadoff, first-pitch double. But Jasso then locked down and struck out the next three hitters she faced.

After the defensive stand, San Benito added two more runs in the fourth. Jav’Ana Gonzalez reached second base on an error and Ali Huerta’s sacrifice bunt got her to third. Gonzalez then scored on Kimberly Harper’s bunt for a 3-0 cushion. That led to the girl of the night, Jasso, doubling and then scoring on another Rowe error to make it 4-0.

Jasso continued to sizzle in the circle and was virtually untouchable from then on.

She mowed down the Lady Warriors in order in the fifth for her seventh, eighth and ninth strikeouts. She sat down two Warriors in the sixth and seventh innings for the lucky 13.

For insurance, the Lady ’Hounds scored two more runs in the sixth as Mel Ramirez and Elizondo’s (hit by pitch) courtesy runner Courtney Vasquez came home on a throwing error into the outfield to round out the scoring.

Rowe had a last chance in the seventh, but Jasso got Samantha Tijerina swinging to end the game.

Ranked No. 1 in the Valley and 10th in the state, Martinez said the girls have stayed focused as the season winds down and the playoffs lay ahead.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the girls,” said Martinez of his club, which rose to 10th in the state this week in the Texas Girls Coaches Association poll. “With the rankings and everything, they’re still grounded. They know those things just give us a bigger target on our backs but they love it.”

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/03/29/girls-on-fire-state-ranked-lady-hounds-bulldozing-through-31-5a/

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