Davis Sets New Single-Season HR Mark in Loss
Not until the final out of the final inning did anyone on the Angelina College bench think the Lady Roadrunners would lose.
Sure, they’d fallen behind early, but a team known for putting together big innings seemed poised for a big, walk-off finale.
The rally didn’t happen. The No. 12 Lady Roadrunners fell short in a 4-2 loss to Tyler in Saturday’s Region XIV Conference Tournament, eliminating AC and ending the team’s season.
The Lady Apaches scored two unearned runs in the first and got a two-run homer from Tanna Huie in the second to take a 4-0 lead.
But AC pitcher Whitney Howerton shut the door the rest of the way, holding Tyler scoreless over the next five innings to give the Lady ‘Runners a chance. Howerton got plenty of defensive help: Centerfielder Kali Holcombe collected six catches, none of them routine, and the rest of the defense settled in to keep the Lady Apaches on hold.
After getting blanked for two innings – with two innings killed after hitting into double plays – AC began chipping away at the Tyler lead. Taylor Davis blasted a solo homer in the third, setting the program’s individual, single-season record for homers at 17. In the fifth, Jynelle Pangelinan put one over the wall to cut the Lady Apache lead in half. Keeping the AC fans on their seats were several balls the Lady ‘Runners hit deep – just not quite deep enough for anything other than long outs.
Tyler pitcher Abby Walker tossed the last few innings of relief to hold off the Lady Roadrunner charge, retiring AC hitters in order in the bottom of the seventh.
The Lady Roadrunners end their season with a 38-20 record. The game was the final appearance for sophomores Kayla Boucher, Tiffany Hinkelman, Kayla Lahrmann and Heather Kulhanek.
The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
