Sandiettes Blast Lady Black Cats

Grapeland 10-runs Mexia, 12-2

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – The Grapeland Sandiettes received a bit of a confidence builder on Monday, Feb. 27 when the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) softball rankings came out as the TGCA had the Sandiettes ranked at #3 in Class 2A.

Later that same day, the Sandiettes went out and proved their lofty ranking was no joke as they hammered the Class 4A Mexia Lady Black Cats by a score of 12-2 in five innings.

The game didn’t start out well for the Sandiettes as the Lady Black Cats managed to plate two unearned runs in the first inning. Following that, Mexia pitcher Erica Beldin retired the Grapeland side in order to maintain a 2-0 lead after one.

After the first inning, however, the Sandiettes seemed to shake off the evening chill and settled into a groove. Cadie Belle Currie rebounded from the two unearned runs she allowed and began to shut down Mexia.

She retired the first two batters she faced in the second inning, hit the next one and then retired the side on a 6-3 groundout.

When the Sandiettes came to bat in the bottom of the second, they took a 3-2 lead and never looked back. Currie led off with a walk and Christy Shepherd came into run for her. Hannah Chipman followed with a single to move Shepherd to second.

Maddie McCombs followed Chipman with a bunt single to load the bases. KeKe Harris walked to drive in Shepherd from third and keep the bases loaded. The next batter was Macy Cutler, but before she could do any damage, Beldin threw a wild pitch which allowed Chipman to score from third and tie the game at two. McCombs and Harris both advanced on the play.

Following a Cutler pop-up for the first out, Haley Reed dropped down a perfect bunt to bring McCombs across the plate with the go-ahead run. Kiera DeCluette was up next and reached on error to re-load the bases.

With only one out and a bases loaded situation, the Sandiettes were poised for a big inning. Beldin, however, settled down long enough to strikeout Cierra Simon and Cheney Boyd to end the inning.

Armed with a 3-2 lead, Currie gave up a double in the top of the third, retired the runner at third trying to advance and then got consecutive groundouts to end the inning.

Of note, on the second out of the inning, freshman third baseman Kiera DeCluette ranged to her right, fielded the ball on the foul line, threw across her body as she was falling away and delivered a throw on the money to Hannah Chipman at first.

When the Sandiettes came to bat in the third, they tacked on two runs on a KeKe Harris double which drove in Shepherd and Chipman and made the score 5-3 after three.

As the game entered the fourth inning, Currie seemed to find the zone and retired the side in order. Another defensive gem was also turned in by the Sandiettes as freshman shortstop Cierra Simon showed off her range in the field and the gun she has for an arm.

Simon went deep in the hole between short and third to field a ball, set her feet and then threw a frozen rope to Chipman at first to catch the runner by a step for the inning’s second out.

When the Sandiettes came to the plate, they put up a four spot on a walk to DeCluette, back-to-back hits from Boyd and Currie, an error, a hit from McCombs and a fielder’s choice which made the score 9-2 after four complete.

After a quick top of the fifth, Grapeland plated three runs to make the score 12-2 and end the game.

Currie picked up the win with five innings of work. She gave up three hits, allowed two unearned runs, struck out one, walked one and hit a batter.

Beldin was saddled with the loss after she pitched 4.2 innings, gave up 10 hits and allowed 12 runs – six unearned. She also struck out five and walked three.

At the plate, Grapeland was led by KeKe Harris who was 1-2 with four RBI.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].