Abilene High pounds Wylie in District 4

Oct 19, 2023

Abilene High softball coach Jenna Bane gave pitcher Diana Silva nearly two weeks off to rest an arm that had thrown nearly 1,200 pitches so far this season.

Silva responded by scattering six hits in an 11-3 victory over Wylie in a District 4-5A game Friday at Wylie High School.

Silva struck out six and walked one in subduing a Lady Bulldogs’ team that averaged 12.8 runs in its three previous games.

"She did phenomenal," Bane said. "I think the rest did her a lot of good. … We got her throwing for the first time two days ago, and it did really well for her."

It was a far different outcome than the district meeting at AHS. Wylie scored five runs off six hits in 3⅓ innings off Silva en route to a 6-4 victory.

"She pitched way different than she did last time, and she did a good job," Wylie coach Heather Collier said. "… Our bats, we didn't get it together like we wanted to – more toward the end. We just need to make those adjustments sooner."

The Lady Eagles (21-4 overall, 5-2 district), by contrast, had little trouble at the plate – pounding 11 hits. They jumped on Wylie (19-6, 5-2) early in pulling into tie with the Lady Bulldogs for second place. Lubbock Monterey (22-4-1, 7-0) beat Lubbock Coronado 13-0 on Friday to pad its district lead.

Tea Jimenez and Kayley Washington led off the game with hits – the latter a double. Jimenez scored on a one-out wild pitch, and Washington scored on Amyah Starks’ sacrifice fly.

Wylie answered with a run in the bottom of the inning but could have had more.

Rylee Moore reached on a one-out infield hit, and Kat Martinez singled. AHS’ third baseman Mariah Estrada tried to get the force at third on Jadyn Fernandez's ground ball to third, but Moore beat her to the bag – loading the bases. Moore scored on Hanna Hood's ground out to first. Silva avoided more trouble by getting Cameron Gregory to foul out on pop up to first.

The Lady Eagles pushed their lead to 5-0 with a three-run third. Jimenez started it with a single, and Washington walked. Both scored on Kinzley Cantu's double. Cantu scored when Brie Reed reached on a two-out error.

Wylie got a run back in the fourth. Reese Farrar hit a two-out single and scored on a two-base error that allowed Halli Russell to take second.

The Lady Bulldogs would put just three runners on base the rest of the way against Silva. Fernandez beat out an infield hit to start the bottom of the sixth only to be left stranded. Kynslee George tripled and scored on a one-out error in the seventh. Mycala Reed walked and was left stranded at third.

AHS already had put the game away with a six-run fifth, when the Lady Eagles batted around,

Estrada got it going with a two-run double. Germanie Williams drew a base-loaded walk, and Jimenez capped the inning with a three-run double.

Jimenez, AHS’ leadoff hitter, went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs, while No. 2 hitter Washington was 3-for-3 with a walk and scored three times. The Lady Eagles’ top four batters accounted for eight hits, eight RBIs and seven runs.

Farrar, Wylie's starting pitcher, took the loss. She allowed eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings. She struck out seven and walked two.

Moore pitched the final 2⅔ innings, giving up three runs on four hits. She struck out three and walked two.

In the first meeting with AHS, Farrar went the distance – giving up four runs on six hits. She struck out nine and walked five.

It was a big win for an AHS team playing its first season as Wylie's district rival. AHS always had been in the UIL's largest class before dropping down this school year.

Now, the Lady Eagles know they not only can play with one of the region's best teams but beat them.

"It's huge," Bane said. "They’re a great program. They’re very well-coached. Coach Collier is awesome at what she does. I think coming over here and beating them at their field is a big deal. To hit Reese the way we did is really good, because she's a great pitcher – one of the best in the district."

Wylie, meanwhile, must regroup from its most lopsided loss of the season.

"Tonight, they (AHS) did a good job, and we know we’re a dang-good team, and we’re going to regroup and get ready for our next game," Collier said.