By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal
SAN MARCOS – Lexington pitcher Taylor Akin has a championship lineage.
Akin is the granddaughter of former La Grange head coach Arthur Behrend, who led the Leopards to two state championships. His 2016 team was the last Austin-area team to win a UIL state softball championship. If Akin has anything to do with it, she will follow in her grandfather”s footsteps.
On Thursday, she took the first step.
The sophomore pitcher tossed a one-hitter to help Lexington to a 2-0 victory over Jourdanton after a near 90-minute rain delay in Game 1 of a Class 3A Division II state semifinal best-of-three series sat San Marcos High School.
A severe thunderstorm moved through San Marcos late Thursday evening and caused the game to be stopped in the second inning.
After the delay, Akin silenced the Squaws (25-15) and gave up her only hit in the bottom of the fourth inning. She pitched a complete-game shutout and struck out 11 batters.
The after-effects of the storm did cause some problems for Akin in the circle. She hit two consecutive batters with a pitch to load the bases in the fourth inning with one out after a single by Jourdanton’s Megan Salazar.
Akin got out of the inning by striking out the final two batters. She didn’t give up another hit in the final three innings.
Meanwhile, Akin hit a two-out double in the top of the fourth to score Aubrie Matthews, who singled and advanced to second on an error. Maya Bell drove in Trinity Bell, who was courtesy running for Akin, to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
Lexington (26-8) will face Jourdanton in Game 2 at 11 a.m., Friday morning.
Kingwood sweeps Dripping Springs: Humble Kingwood (34-4-1) scored 12 runs in the first three innings Thursday in Game 2 of a Class 6A Division II state semifinal best-of-three state series and defeated Dripping Springs 16-6, completing the sweep in the series. The Mustangs defeated the Tigers 7-1 in Game 1 on Wednesday in Caldwell.
Lorelei Gamble did provide some highlights for Dripping Springs (31-11-1). The sophomore hit her 23rd home run of the season in the second inning. She was 2 for 2 at the plate
The Tigers tied the score at 3-3 in the first inning on a sacrifice by Jai-Lynn Flores that scored Emma Phillips and a two-run single by Morgan Cain.
Rouse drops Game 1 to Lake Creek: Montgomery Lake Creek jumped out to a 3-0 lead Thursday after two innings and held of a late rally by Rouse to defeat the Raiders 4-3 in the first game of a Class 5A Division II state semifinal best-of-three series.
Both teams traded runs in the fifth inning, but Rouse got two runs off an error in the top of the seventh to move to within a run of tying the game.
Mariah Collins hit a single to advance Blakely Barber and Abby St. Clair into scoring position. However, Lake Creek pitcher Sara Wiggins struck out the final two batters to secure the win. Wiggins finished the game with 13 strikeouts.
Game 2 is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday in Mumford.
Barbers Hill ends Smithson Valley’s season: Barbers Hill pitcher Haley Nutter tossed a no-hitter Thursday in a Class 5A Division I one-game playoff as the Eagles defeated Smithson Valley 4-0 to advance to next week’s state championship.
The only blemish to Nutter’s near perfect game was a walk in the third inning. The University of Kentucky signee had 18 strikouts and got the win in the circle.
Barbers hill scored all four runs in the fourth inning thanks to a two-run home run by Aybrie Corona and RBIs by butter and Ashlyn Cooper.
