While the Salado Lady Eagles lost two close games to state-ranked opponents last week, falling 2-0 to the #6 Liberty Hill Lady Panthers and 2-1 to the #22 Lampasas Lady Badgers, their loss to the #5 Burnet Lady Bulldogs was not so close on April 21 as Salado went down 9-1 on the road.

The girls remain in fourth place to qualify for the playoffs going into the final week of play.

Salado 1

Burnet 9

Salado Lady Eagles struggled against Makenzie Carpenter in their 9-1 road loss against the Burnet Lady Bulldogs April 21. Carpenter struck out 10 of the 17 batters she faced over five innings on the mound, allowing just two hits and no runs to score.

Salado scored on Amber Womack, who pitched two innings, striking out one and giving up two hits.

Meagan Hill got one of those hits to lead off the seventh inning, Salado trailing 9-0. She went to second on a passed ball and advanced to third on a groundout by Jenna Calder. Payton Dreitz singled to left to score Hill before the final two outs were recorded to end the game.

Dreitz had two singles in the game and a sacrifice grounder. Calder had the other hit on the night, a single in the fifth.

Salado batters were able to reach base only six times against Burnet.

Hill got the loss on the mound, pitching the entire game and giving up nine hits to Burnet and five earned runs.

Burnet scored twice in the first inning. Lexey Parker led off with a bunt and scored on a double by Shelby Wilson, who stole home after going to third on an error by second baseman Lindy Martin.

Parker again bunted and scored in the fourth. She advanced on a single by Womack and scored on an error by Martin.

Burnet added four runs in the fifth. Marissa Escamilla singled and stole second, went to third on an error by shortstop Malory Schattle. An error by Martin put Taylor Baker on first  and scored Escamilla. Hill walked Natalie Frank to put runners on first and second. An error by Martin allowed Womack to go to first and Baker to score.   Wilson singled to score Frank. An error by Calder loaded the bases and a walk to Vanessa Escamilla scored Womack before Hill struck out Carpenter for the final out of the inning.

Marissa Escamilla hit a solo homerun in the sixth to score the ninth Burnet run.

Liberty Hill 2

Salado 0

Salado Lady Eagles fought through five scoreless innings April 17 with the #3 ranked Liberty Hill Lady Panthers before the visitors scored two runs in the top of the sixth to win the game 2-0.

Liberty Hill’s Samantha Junkin led off the sixth with a single and scored on a double by Kelly McKinzy. McKinzey went to third on a groundout to second base by Megan Hupee. She scored on a single to centerfield by Baylie Bevers.

Bailey Tindell was issued the loss for Salado, pitching all seven innings and allowing nine hits and striking out four batters.

Junkins got the win for Liberty Hill, pitching 5-1/3 innings. She struck out seven batters, walked three and allowed no runs to score on two hits. Nicole Theim closed the game, striking out three batters and allowing one hit and no runs to score.

Madeline Murray hit a double for Salado to lead the Lady Eagles. Also recording hits for Salado were Jenna Calder and Lindy Martin.

Salado 1

Lampasas 2

Kloe Corbin’s two run homer in the first was all the Lampasas Lady Badgers needed to beat the Salado Lady Eagles on April 14. Salado could not convert a bases-loaded situation in the top of the seventh and lost the game 2-1.

Corbin was the second batter in the bottom of the first, after Reagan Dunn earned a walk from Meagan Hill. She knocked the ball over the centerfield fence for the 2-0 lead.

Hill allowed just four hits on the night and struck out five for Salado. Shortstop Malory Schattle and third baseman Cece Cantu did the lion’s share defensively, throwing out five Lady Badgers trying to reach first.

Jenna Calder scored Salado’s only run with two outs recorded in the fourth. She walked and went to second on a passed ball. Payton Dreitz singled to right to bring her home.

Madeline Murray had two singles, but was left stranded both times.

Kristen Oakes singled with one out in the top of the seventh. With walks to Schattle and Cantu, Salado had the bases loaded with two outs in their final at-bat, but Reagan Dunn, who had 10 strikeouts in the game, forced Calder to pop up to shortstop Alyssa Maldonado ending the game.