Jordan Kisselburg and Kali Holcomb got the big hits, and Whitney Howerton and Kylie Murdock teamed up for a stellar job in the circle, but Angelina College shortstop Miranda Wiggins made just as much noise with her glove as the Lady Roadrunners staved off elimination with a 4-3 win over Lamar State College-Port Arthur in Sunday’s Region XIV Conference Tournament action at Roadrunner Complex in Lufkin.
Wiggins’ play in the sixth inning helped hold off a Seahawk rally. Lamar-PA entered the frame trailing 4-0 before stringing together three straight hits to key a three-run rally. Wiggins fielded a ground ball for one putout, and with the bases loaded with Seahawks, made a sprinting catch of a line drive in the hole near third base and, never breaking stride, stepped on the bag to end the inning and the threat. It seemed only fitting that Wiggins would turn in another web gem – a sharp grounder up the middle she fielded and threw to first – for the game’s final out.
Wiggins’ effort was part of a flawless defensive effort from the Lady Roadrunner infield and outfield. Third baseman Lauren Garza fielded all six of her chances, including an inning-ending catch of a foul pop near the net behind home plate in the fourth.
AC’s win eliminated Lamar-PA and sent the Lady Roadrunners into Monday’s third round against Galveston College, which lost 9-1 to Blinn on Sunday.
Kisselburg lined a shot into the game in right center to score Kaylee Parker and Kali Holcomb in the first inning. Those two runs held up until Holcomb padded the lead with a two-run double off the top of the left-field wall in the fourth, scoring Morgan Conner and Wiggins.
Howerton opened the game in the circle, setting down the first seven Seahawks in order before Makenzi Maloy’s single in the third. AC catcher Conner gunned down Maloy at second on a steal attempt, and through the first four innings, Howerton faced just one batter over the minimum.
When the Seahawks threatened in the sixth, Murdock entered and threw one pitch to Lamar-PA’s Clarissa Moreno, who hit the inning-ending liner to Wiggins. Murdock walked one batter in the seventh but retired the other three to earn the save.
AC will face Galveston’s Whitecaps at 10 a.m. The winner will also play at 5:30 p.m.
In the day’s other action, Tyler College eliminated Kilgore by a 13-3 score, Blinn dropped Galveston College 9-1 and San Jacinto won a 1-0 walkoff thriller over Bossier Parish College.
Monday’s schedule includes AC vs. Galveston at 10 a.m., Tyler vs. Bossier Parish at 12:30 p.m., Blinn vs. San Jacinto at 3 p.m., and the winner of Tyler/Bossier Parish and the AC/Galveston games at 5:30 p.m.
