MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas-It was a cake walk Friday at Northeast Texas Community College's Lady Eagle Field for Hughes Springs.
The Lady Mustangs dominated in their first-round Class 3A bi-district softball playoff game as they run-ruled Winnsboro, 10-0.
"We came out and played defense well and hit the ball well," Hughes Springs head coach Tisha Thompson said. "We could have pitched better, but I think they were just nervous."
Fourth-ranked Hughes Springs (27-2) will play New Diana in next week's area round.
The Lady Mustangs, District 14-3A champions, walked seven times against Winnsboro, the fourth-place team from 15-3A.
"We're not chasing the ball just so we can get a hit," Thompson said. "If we're going to get walked, the girls will be team players and take the walk."
Hughes Springs did not get a hit in the first inning but put four runs across anyway. Peyton Blythe walked, Kennedi Northam reached on an error, Marisol Kennedy, Shelbie Fickling, Kensley Echols, and Charlie Reeves all walked.
Blythe scored on a Lady Raider throwing error, Northam and Kennedy came home on bases-loaded walks, and Fickling scored on a fielder's choice to make it 4-0 Mustangs after one frame.
Hughes Springs put three more runs on the board in the second. Blythe led off with a bunt single, and teammate Northam followed suit. With two on, Kennedy slapped a run-scoring double up the middle.
Mustangs starting pitcher Zoe Lanier was reliever in the third by winner Marisol Kennedy (12-1), who finished the game.
Haylee Wilson and Fickling hit back-to-back sacrifice flys to right field for an RBI each to make it 7-0 in favor of the Mustangs in the third.
Katelyn Roth bunted for a single and took second on an error with two outs in the third for Hughes Springs. Blythe smacked an RBI double to right field. Northam belted an RBI double to make it 9-0.
Blythe walked, stole second, and reached third on a throwing error. She scored on a fielder's choice to end the game by the 10-run rule with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
Winnsboro 000 00 - 0 3 3
Hughes Springs 432 01 - 10 7 0
Game ended with 2 outs in the 5th, run rule.
Kendall Morris and Kristen McMillan. Zoe Lanier, Marisol Kennedy (3) and Kennedi Northam. WP-Kennedy (12-1). LP-Morris.