Archives > Sports Update
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Destiny Fulfilled: Garza's catch propels East past Hebron, on to state tournament
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
ALLEN -- Plano East sophomore Destiny Garza was clutching a softball with all her might after Friday night's Region I Final against Hebron.
And why not as it was that particular softball that Garza made a sliding catch on to give East a 5-4 victory in the one-game playoff and send the Lady Panthers to the Class 5A State Tournament for the second time in program history.
"I never get those in practice and I always get in trouble for it," Garza said. "My heart was pounding when I went sliding for the ball, but I knew my team needed it."
With East clinging to a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh, Hebron freshman Olivia Martinez stepped to the dish with two outs and runners on first and second base. Martinez sparked a rally in the sixth inning and appeared as though she had done the same in the seventh with a flare that, if it fell, would at least tie the game and could have possibly given the Hawks their first lead of the night.
Instead, Garza darted to the outfield and made a sliding grab to end the game, 5-4.
"That was an amazing catch," said Karen Kalhoefer, East head coach. "That's just wanting to win right there."
"I didn't want to get up after I made that catch," Garza added. "It was ... it was like I was in a dream."
The seventh inning wasn't the only time East lived dangerously Friday night.
A three-run homer to left field in the first by senior Holly Kern and two-run shot to left center by senior Rachel Scott in the second gave the Lady Panthers a 5-0 advantage they held much of the game. Kern also excelled in the circle, holding Hebron without a hit for the first five innings.
It looked like more of the same in the sixth when Kern struck out the first two batters.
But junior Chelsea Herndon, the hero of Hebron's regional quarterfinal game against Plano Senior, got things started after that with a single and junior Deja Talton drew a walk to put runners at first and second. The runs rained down from there with Martinez plating one with a single and Hebron scoring again on an errant East throw to make it 5-2. Junior Sarah Flores made it 5-3 with a single and then junior Amanda Sloper was plunked to load the bases.
Despite the Hebron comeback, East didn't panic.
"We've been through this before," said Chandler Cink, East senior center fielder, "so we kept looking at each other saying, 'it's fine, we're OK.'"
There might have been cause for some concern before the inning was out though as it wouldn't be an East playoff game against a district opponent without some controversy at home plate.
And the next at-bat provided it.
Sophomore Erinn Hill smacked a single to score another run before East sophomore left fielder Haley Wisdom fielded the ball and gunned Hebron senior Kylie Johnson out at the plate to prevent the tying run.
"Flicka (Wisdom's nickname) came through again," Kalhoefer said. "That was a great throw."
It was the tag, however, that caused controversy.
The umpire's ruling brought immediate dispute from the Hawks coaches, including an assistant who was tossed from the game for arguing the call.
"The throw was high and [Johnson] slid under the throw," said Staci Jackson, Hebron head coach. "But they said she missed the plate."
"I thought we got her," Scott added. "But that play did not decide the game."
That out brought an end to an inning in which Hebron batted around, had seven straight hitters reach base and cut its deficit from 5-0 to 5-4.
"We were down 5-0 and could have easily crumbled," Jackson said. "But the girls fought back and got right back in the game. That's Hebron right there and I'm proud of these kids for showing what our program is all about."
Hebron senior pitcher Heather Stearns can take some credit for keeping the Hawks in the game as she allowed just one hit over the final four innings of her complete game, four-hitter. East did, however, get to Stearns in the first two frames with a walk and error setting the stage for Kern's blast in the first and an infield single by Cink preceding Scott's shot in the second that made it 5-0.
The Lady Panthers wouldn't score again, but had enough for the 5-4 victory.
"Give East credit, they made the big plays and had some good hits," Jackson said. "There are a lot of tears right now, but I told the girls it's OK to cry because they played a great game. I know they wanted to go to Austin, but only one team from this region can make it."
That team is the Lady Panthers, who are attempting to win the first ever Plano ISD softball state title and the first UIL team title in East's 32-year history.
"Our goal is not just to make it to state," Kalhoefer said. "This time, our goal is to win state."
This is the fifth straight year a PISD baseball or softball team has advanced to state. East will continue its journey in the state semis at 3 or 6 p.m. Friday from Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin against a to-be-determined opponent.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Sports Update «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
