Leaving the area

GRAHAM – State records don’t happen every day.

Jacksboro senior Alex Holman did just that Friday night, coming through with 32 strikeouts in 15 innings to keep her Tigerettes in game one of the best-of-three area round series with 5-3A Champ Merkel. The old record was 18.

Merkel freshman Josie Whitehead was doing her best on the other side as well. The Lady Badgers drew first blood in the top of the 14th with a single run but the Tigerettes got the run back in the bottom of the frame.

In the bottom of the 15th, Harlee Richardson got aboard and was brought home by her twin sister Hadlee to give the Purple a 2-1 win at Lady Blues Field.

The game had just nine hits, Kylie Tullous and Hadlee Richardson coming through with two hits each to pace the Tigerettes.

Saturday, the two pitchers locked horns again but the Tigerettes took advantage of a three-run fifth in a 3-0 series-clinching win. The Tigerettes move on to regionals this week, opening with Coahoma Thursday at 6 p.m. at Abilene Cooper. Games two and three, if needed, begin at 5 p.m. Friday at the same site.

Holman, who with Hadlee Richardson conducted radio interviews Saturday, said she could see her fellow pitcher was tired early.

“I knew she was tired in the first inning because she was giving us a different look (than Friday night),” Holman told KWKQ Radio. “I knew we were going to get to her (Whitehead) eventually.”

Jacksboro left a runner at third in the first inning as Tullous reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. A pair of groundouts kept Jacksboro off the board.

In the third, Avery Bennett roped a one-out single and moved to second on a wild pitch. She was left holding the bag as the next two hitters popped out.

Bennett would get another chance in the fifth inning, which opened with Harlee Richardson drawing a walk. With one out, Makenna McAnear singled to put runners at the corners.

Bennett then doubled home Richardson with McAnear scoring on the throw to retire Bennett. Hadlee Richardson moved her teammate to third with a single and went to second on the throw back to keep runners in scoring position.

Tullous then laid down a perfect bunt single squeezing Bennett home and using her speed to come through with the fourth base hit of the frame. It would be the last as the next two hitters were retired.

With the window open and a good lead, Holman continued doing what she had been doing, striking out the side in the fifth enroute to a 12-strikeout performance.

Hadlee Richardson said the squad realizes that every time the squad steps in the field could be the last time. Something they want to make last as long as they can.