Staff report
A fifth inning surge guided the Hays High Lady Rebels to a 5-3 come-from-behind win over the Lehman Lady Lobos Saturday at the Lady Rebel softball field.
With the win, Hays improves to 8-3 in 14-6A play and climbs into a tie for second place in district with Westlake High. Austin High is one game behind both squads, with Bowie High holding on to first place in the district with five weeks to go in the regular season.
Inclement weather during the week forced both teams to reschedule their Friday game to Saturday.
Once the game began, Lehman High hit the gas pedal as they surged out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning via an RBI single from Clarissa Rayos. The Lady Lobos added a run in the second frame on an RBI single by Seryna Avalos.
A Lehman run scored in the fourth inning gave the Lady Lobos a commanding 3-0 advantage.
Leading the charge for Lehman was Loren Pizzini, who went 2 for 2 at the plate with a single and a double.
Hays responded in the bottom half of the fourth frame with three runs.
With runners on second and third base, Hays’ Illyana Cisneros drove in two runs on a fly ball to center field that was dropped as a result of an error. Abbie Blackwell followed by driving in an RBI-single to tie the contest at 3-3.
The Lady Rebels took their first and final lead of the game in the fifth inning.
A leadoff double by Maria Arroyo was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Sydney Belvin. Arroyo on a failed pickoff attempt gave Hays a 4-3 lead.
Pitcher Nadia Netek, who earned the win in the circle, helped her cause by driving in a run with an RBI single to take a 5-3 advantage.
Netek allowed three runs over the course of seven innings. She struck out one batter while walking four and giving up eight hits.
Coming Up
The Lady Rebels host Austin High Friday at 7 p.m. at the Lady Rebel softball field.