Lady Dragons march into third round with 3-1, 10-8 area sweep of Hamlin

May 6, 2023 at 1:14 am Derrick Stuckly

Photo courtesy of Bangs ISD Facebook page

SAN ANGELO – The District 6-2A champion Bangs Lady Dragons marched into the Region I-2A softball quarterfinals thanks to a pair of area round victories over the District 7-2A runner-up Hamlin Lady Pipers, 3-1 and 10-8, here Friday.

Bangs (26-4) advances to face District 7 third seed Hawley (21-10) – which swept its series over District 5 champion Reagan County by identical scores of 18-6 – next weekend.

In Bangs’ opening win of the series at San Angelo Central High School, the Lady Dragons surrendered the game’s first run to Hamlin (21-8) in the top of the third inning, but did not allow another and rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

The Lady Dragons’ fourth inning saw Abby Wolf reach on a leadoff error, a walk by Julianna Ethridge followed, and an error during Jadyn Miller’s at-bat permitted both base runners to cross the plate. Sierra Lorah followed with an RBI single that brought home Miller.

Bangs tallied just three hits – one each by Wolf, Ethridge and Lorah – but drew three walks and was aided by two Hamlin errors.

In the circle, Wolf gave up one run on nine hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks. The Bangs defense committed one error.

The nightcap saw Bangs race out to a 10-3 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, where Hamlin tallied five runs before the Lady Dragons quashed the rally.

Bangs led 2-0 after one inning, Hamlin added with two runs in the third to even the score, but the Lady Dragons seized control with a five-run fourth. Bangs tacked on another run in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh.

The Lady Dragons generated 18 hits led by four from Emily Baker, three from Cheyenne Rush, two apiece from Neeley Bradley, Bailey Mendieta, Wolf, Ethridge, and Miller, and one by Lorah. Wolf drove in a team-high three RBIs trailed by Ethridge with two and Brady, Miller, Mendieta and Jordan Valdez with one each.

In the circle, Wolf worked all seven innings and gave up five earned runs on 12 hits with six strikeouts and one walk. The Lady Dragon defense committed three errors in the series finale.