Vela fans 12 batters as Chargers softball wins

The Champion softball team’s defense proved stingy on Friday when the Lady Chargers hosted Veterans Memorial.

Champion only gave up 2 hits and 1 run on its way to a 7-1 win over the Lady Patriots. The Chargers are 11-8-1 overall and 7-5 in district.

They’ll play two games this week, Tuesday at Lehman and Thursday at home against Seguin.

Champion pitcher Carmen Vela pitched another strong game and fanned 12 batters and only gave up 2 hits, 1 run and 2 walks as she picked up the win on 115 pitches. Vela struck out every batter she faced at least once and the only run the Patriots scored didn’t come until the top of the seventh.

With the Veterans Memorial bats in check, the Chargers took a 1-0 lead in the first. They added 3 in the third, 2 more in the fourth and another in the sixth for the 7-0 advantage.

The Patriots scored its run with one out in the seventh but Vela retired the next two batters with pop ups to the infield.

Ashley Ottmers and Riley Murrish both hit 2 singles and scored twice, Gabi Vela also hit 2 singles and scored a run, Krista Tarver doubled and hit 2 singles, walked and picked up 2 RBI, Carmen Vela helped her cause with an RBI and a single, Ava Trevino walked twice and drove in a run, Lily Ritchie singled and drove in 2 runs, while Madison Hall and Jaycee Bendele both scored a run.