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Self-Inflicted Wounds: Error costs Lionettes in playoff opener
Photo courtesy of John Tyler of Buzzzphotos.com
By Andrew Snyder, asnyder@starlocalnews.com
PLANO—An error on a routine fly ball Friday in Game 1 of McKinney's bi-district playoff series against Carrollton Creekview made all the difference in a matchup that featured dominant pitching and hesitant bats.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, the Lionettes misplayed a ball in the outfield to prolong the inning and allow the Lady Mustangs to plate three runs and take a 3-0 lead. That margin held up behind the pitching of lefty Alex Lewis, who shut out McKinney to give Creekview the advantage in the teams' best-of-3 series.
“All year long we've kind of struggled a little bit out in the outfield,” said Jeremy Greenway, McKinney head softball coach. “It showed in Game 1 tonight. We just have to make those routine plays. That would have been the third out and they wouldn't have had the chance to punch in anymore that inning.”
Lewis struck out 11 and worked a complete-game shutout from the circle, allowing just four hits.
The Lionettes didn't pick up an extra-base hit until the bottom of the seventh when Thomas tried to spark a rally with a lead-off triple. McKinney had runners on the corner after senior Lauren McQuestion drew a one-out walk, but Lewis returned to form to end the game on a strikeout and ground ball.
“You can't get up there and not be disciplined against her,” Greenway said.
The Lionettes lineup improved as the game progressed, culminating in that final inning of work. They worked the count against Lewis, getting ahead in back-to-back at-bats after Thomas' triple, but weren't able to come up with the key hit needed to extend the game.
“It helps when you have a big hitter that does what she's supposed to right there and gets a big hit,” Greenway said. “Those kinds of things are contagious. We got a walk and put the ball in play a little bit in that last inning.”
Along with providing McKinney's best hit of the night, Thomas pitched a strong game, striking out eight, hitting a batter and giving up five hits in seven innings of work. All of the Lady Mustangs’ runs were unearned.
“[Thomas] pitched well, like she has for us all year,” Greenway said. “They did a good job of adjusting to her rise ball a little bit and really, a team hasn't done that all year. Tomorrow we'll have to try and make it look a little better.”
Friday's win was the third straight for the Lady Mustangs (20-8, 11-3 in District 9-4A), who resumed their series with McKinney on Saturday at Plano West (results not available at press time). Creekview entered the playoffs after closing its district campaign with dominant wins against Frisco, 13-3, and Carrollton Newman Smith, 7-0.
McKinney (18-15, 10-4 in District 10-4A) snapped a four-game winning streak with its loss to Creekview. The Lionettes ended the regular season on a strong note by routing McKinney North, 5-0; Richardson Pearce, 13-0; Wylie East, 11-1; and Highland Park, 7-1.
Errors cost the Lionettes in their final district loss too, as they had 12 in an 8-2 loss to Rockwall on April 5.
A loss to Creekview on Saturday would mark the second first-round exit for McKinney in as many years. Last year, the Lionettes fell behind Frisco Centennial in a best-of-3 series before rallying in Game 2 to force the deciding contest, which they lost 7-0.
“We'll definitely have to be a little 10-second Sam, forget about it and come back tomorrow to work a little harder than we did today,” Greenway said.
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