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'Tis the season to be Holly: Kern throws no-hitter as East run-rules Hebron
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
Hebron softball scored the first run Tuesday night against Plano East as the combination of a hit by pitch, bunt, error and sacrifice ground out gave the Lady Hawks a 1-0 lead in the third inning.
That was the only offense Hebron got going though.
Literally, as the Lady Hawks were no-hit by East's Holly Kern. The senior pitcher had six strikeouts and the Lady Panthers scored the next 11 runs to secure a six-inning, 11-1 run-rule victory.
If Kern had, her coach might not have known what the celebration was about.
"I get so involved in every hitter, I didn't even know Holly had a no-hitter until I was looking at the book after the game ended," Kalhoefer said. "I asked Holly and she said she knew in the fifth inning."
This is Kern's second no-hitter of the season.
In addition to getting solid defense behind her, Kern benefited from a stout offensive attack that mounted 13 hits and 11 runs. Those numbers didn't come against usual Hebron starter Heather Stearns though as Brynn Putnam started despite Stearns warming up before the game and between innings. East got doubles from senior Rachel Scott and junior Jacque Anthony. The latter also clubbed a three-run walk-off homer in the sixth inning to wrap up the 11-1 victory.
That win pushed East to 10-1 in district. The Lady Panthers get a chance to avenge the lone number in the right column at 7 p.m. Friday when Flower Mound comes to town.
"The girls are really excited," Kalhoefer said. "They know the last game (a 4-3 loss) was a weird one, but they also saw what Flower Mound is capable of. They know that is a good team that can hit well and really mix it up."
Plano smashes Marcus
Plano Senior (10-1 in district) remained tied with East atop the 8-5A standings Tuesday with a 9-0 thumping of Flower Mound Marcus.
Plano pounded out 11 hits with six of them coming from the trio of seniors Kat Batey, Ashley McDowell and junior Julia Knight. McDowell was 2-for-3 with 4 RBIs, a triple and a walk; Batey went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs and Knight was 2-for-4 with a double. Seniors Kristen Miles and MacKenzie Velasquez each touched the plate three times in the win.
"Our girls are hitting the ball great right now," said Cynthia Zea, Plano head coach. "They are seeing the ball well and being very patient at the plate."
Not that the offense necessarily needed to be clicking as Batey shut things down in the circle. The senior pitcher threw a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits.
"Kat pitched great," Zea said. "She was really hitting her spots."
The combination of strong hitting and pitching has served Plano well for much of 2012.
"The girls are kind of in been there, done that mode," Zea said. "They know the routine, they know the scouting and they know how to play efficiently."
Plano hosts Lewisville at 7 p.m. Friday before traveling to East to face the Lady Panthers at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
"This team has been great about looking at everything one game at a time," Zea said. "If we continue to do that and are playing well, then however district ends is how it ends."
West upset by Allen
How district ends is a primary concern for Plano West as well and the Lady Wolves' playoff hopes took a hit Tuesday courtesy of a 6-1 loss to Allen.
West is now tied with Marcus for fifth place in 8-5A. The Lady Wolves are one game back of Hebron for fourth and two behind third-place Flower Mound, but will have the opportunity to make up ground over the next week as West hits the road to face Hebron at 7 p.m. Friday and hosts Flower Mound at the same time Tuesday.
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