Patriots pull away from Lady Greyhounds

Veterans Memorial broke open a close game with the Boerne High softball team last week.

Friday’s district contest was tied at 4-4 after three innings, but the Lady Patriots pulled away by scoring the final 7 runs of the game and recorded the 11-4 victory.

Boerne is 4-7 in district and 8-7 overall. They hosted Smithson Valley Tuesday and visit Boerne Champion Friday.

Both teams scored 2 runs in the first inning. The Lady Hounds used two hit batters, a walk and a sac bunt to push in their 2 runs.

A triple by the Lady Patriots, coupled with a couple of singles tied it up at 2-2.

Ryleigh Hastings and Tessa Murphy both singled in the third to drive in one run apiece and Boerne was up 4-2 but a 2-run home run in the bottom half of the inning tied it up at 4-4 as the Patriots answered every time the Greyhounds scored through the first three frames.

That’s where the scoring ended for the Greyhounds, but BHS coach Chester Pettibon said he felt like his team should have scored more runs.

Pettibon said they committed too many base-running errors early in the game that cost them a few runs. He said they should have had at least 8 runs in the game, and while it may not have made a difference in the outcome since Veterans Memorial scored 11 runs, it certainly would put more pressure on the Patriots.

Veterans Memorial pulled ahead with a single run in the fourth and never looked back. They added 5 runs in the fifth to open up a 10-4 advantage and started off the inning with a home run and a double.

In the sixth, the Patriots picked up an insurance run to make it 11-4.

Boerne finished with 6 hits in the game and was led by Kenley Thomason who slapped out 2 singles. Ava Renteria and Leni Caldwell both singled and scored, Brooklynn Thomason plated a run, Riley Partin picked up an RBI, Hastings singled and scored, and Murphy singled and drove in a run.

Jesseanna Aguirre pitched 6 innings and threw 87 pitches in the game.

NOTES: The Boerne Champion softball team was off last Friday and played at Alamo Heights Tuesday. They’ll host Boerne High Friday at Charger Field, 7 p.m., in their second meeting of the season.