Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY

Special to Mineral Wells Area News

It was not a good Friday for the Mineral Wells softball team after being shut out, 14-0, by visiting Burkburnett.

If there was any good news coming from Friday afternoon’s outing it is that it was not a district loss for the Lady Rams.

Burk pitcher Natalee Gray went the distance in the shortened five-inning affair, allowing just one Mineral Wells hit while fanning a dozen Lady Rams batters. Gray was sniffing a no-hitter until Hailey McWhorter led off the fourth with a bunt single.

Mineral Wells fielders didn’t help their cause, committing six errors while the Lady Bulldogs (12-8, 1-0 in District 7-4A) played clean in the field.

Cadence Colwell started in the circle for Mineral Wells. It was a rough start for the senior hurler as Burk scored five times in the first courtesy of two lead-off walks and a single that got the Lady Bulldogs offense rolling early.

Colwell lasted 3.1 innings, allowing nine hits and 10 runs, with just five of those earned. McWhorter finished up, twirling 1.2 innings and allowing four earned runs. Burk scored five times in the first and fourth innings, sandwiched around a pair of runs in the second and the third.

The loss dropped Mineral Wells to 7-11 on the season, while remaining 1-2 in District 6-4A. The schedule has Mineral Wells returning to action Friday night in Stephenville. The Lady Rams beat Stephenville in their first meeting. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

Friday’s loss followed a 13-3 district loss Tuesday to the visiting Glen Rose Lady Tigers (15-9, 2-0).

After a scoreless first inning, Glen Rose plated four runners in the top of the second and never looked back, scoring double runs in each of the next three innings before putting up a three spot in the sixth and final inning.

Mineral Wells managed nine hits in the affair, but miscues again plagued the team as the Lady Rams recorded nine errors in the field. Colwell again started and went all six innings, allowing just three earned runs as the Lady Tigers took full advantage of Mineral Wells’ mistakes.

McWhorter and Caitlyn Colwell led the Mineral Wells offense with two hits apiece.

Glen Rose led 10-0 in the fifth when Emery Boswell smacked a one-out, bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center field that scored McWhorter from third. The Lady Rams tacked on two more runs in the home half of the sixth, the last coming on a line drive out by McWhorter that scored Ayana Harrison from third base with the help of a fielding error.