Morales' Bat Helps Wall Overcome Slow Start in Win Over Grape Creek

GRAPE CREEK, TX-- The Wall Lady Hawks claimed victory in their District 4-3A opener with a 20-4 result over the Grape Creek Lady Eagles in five innings on Thursday.

The Lady Hawks put up four runs in the top of the first thanks in part to an RBI double from Ashlynn Box to plate Rylee Morales with one out.

Kenzee Smith walked the first five batters she faced before Izzy Vera came on in relief with no outs in the bottom of the first. Four of those five walks would score in the inning in which the Lady Eagles sent 10 to the plate to tie the game at four after one inning. 

"Grape Creek, through the years, has gotten better," said Wall Head Coach Steve Bain. "They're a very good team. They fought there and we fought. It was pretty close there."

The scoring went quiet for the second and third innings before the Lady Hawks broke the game wide open with 12 batters plating eight runs in the fourth inning. After holding Grape Creek scoreless for the third straight inning, the Lady Hawks duplicated their feat from the previous inning in the fifth to make it 20-4 with Grape Creek coming up to try and extend the game.

"We've got a senior group," Bain smiled. "And their leadership is awesome. It's tremendous. They feed off of their hits. Once they started hitting, we went on a roll.

"Once you get going, that's the main thing. I think everyone relaxes once they start hitting the ball or they get in a groove. Hitting is contagious. Once two or three start going, everybody else just wants to hit. That's what we want."

Vera would allow the MaKinna Rivers and Kimmi Salisbury on base to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Rose Bannert would step up to the plate and work in to a 1-1 count. Bannert would line the next pitch right in to the glove of Lady Hawk second basemen Ashley Dusek with both runners breaking on the pitch. Dusek would take a step to her left to touch second base before firing the ball to Lexi Valles at first to complete the rare triple play to end the game.

Morales finished 4-for-5 on the day needing just a home run to hit for the cycle. The senior scored three runs and drove in four in the win.

"[Rylee] is our heart and soul," Bain said. "Our kids rally around her. For her to have a chance to [hit for the cycle] is pretty special."

Vera picked up the win for Wall on a day where Lady Hawk pitching allowed just three hits.

The Lady Hawks improve to 13-4-1 on the year and will host Sonora next Monday at 4 p.m. Grape Creek will be on the road to face TLCA on Monday at 5:00 p.m.