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Senior Nicole Higgins (18) takes a big cut off of a pitch during recent action. In her final home game, Higgins batted 2/3, recorded five RBIs, and scored two runs in the Lady Wildcats' 15-0 win over Liberty-Eylau Tuesday, including a three-run home run. Photo by DJ Spencer
Clinch district title
The Sulphur Springs Lady Wildcats polished off an undefeated district season Tuesday following a 15-0 shut out over the Liberty-Eylau Lady Leopards at Ladycat Park. Following two scoreless innings, the Lady Wildcats ran away with the game in the third inning, run-ruling the Lady Leopards.
The game would also see pitcher Hannah Speed pitch her third perfect game of the season.
Prior to the game, the Lady Wildcats celebrated the careers of their four seniors: Nicole Higgins, Reese Ragan, Anahi Velasquez, and Niya Yancy, as this would be their final high school softball game at Ladycat Park.
The first inning didn’t see much action, as both teams struggled at the plate. The Lady Leopards were retired in order, while the Lady Wildcats tallied just one hit.
The second inning was more of the same, as each team continued to struggle putting the ball into play.
After the Lady Leopards went down in order to start the third inning, the Lady Wildcats offense came alive. Emerson Thompson would score the first run of the game, giving Sulphur Springs a 1-0 lead.
Soon after, Bayler Boatman launched a three-run home run, where Higgins and Braille Blevins also scored, to raise the score to 4-0.
Ragan and Yancy would then score runs, bringing the score to 6-0. Abbey Goldsmith continued the scoring run with the next run, bringing the score to 7-0.
On the next at-bat, Higgins swatted a grand slam, where KK Montgomery, Tatum Thompson, and Emerson Thomson all scored, raising the score to 11-0. Boatman scored the next run on a wild pitch, bringing the score to 12-0.
Ragan and Yancy would scored once more to raise the score to 14-0. Following another run by Goldsmith, the game came to an end, as the Lady Wildcats polished off a 15-0 win, and Speed completed a perfect game.
As a team, the Lady Wildcats batted 8 for 16 (.500) from the plate. Boatman and Higgins led with two hits each, while Goldsmith, Montgomery, Speed, and Yancy added one hit a piece.
Boatman, Goldsmith, Higgins, Ragan, Emerson Thompson, and Yancy all shared the title of leading scorer with two runs each. Blevins, Montgomery, and Tatum Thompson added one run each.
Speed pitched a perfect game in the circle. Across three innings, she tallied nine strikeouts.
With the win, the Lady Wildcats capped off the regular season at 10-0 in district and 18-7-2 overall. They resumed action Friday, traveling to Bullard to take on the Bullard Lady Panthers in a playoff warmup game.