AUSTIN – The Hutto Lady Hippos varsity softball team advanced to the area round of the playoffs after sweeping Lake Travis with a 16-6 victory in Game 2 on Friday, April 24.
Junior Makenna Castillo and senior M’Kayla Hicks led the way at the plate, combining to go 6-for-10 with four RBIs apiece. Junior Molly Krieg got the start in the circle, allowing five runs in 3.1 innings with four strikeouts.
The Lady Hippos got off to a strong start, plating three runs in the first inning on an RBI single from Castillo and a two-RBI triple from junior Keyouna Harris to make it 3-0.
Lake Travis responded in the second, tying the game at three on an RBI single and a tworun home run. Hutto regained the lead in the third on an RBI single from Harris to make it 4-3.
Hutto added some breathing room in the fourth, scoring four runs on a home run from sophomore Kaelyn Price, an RBI triple from Castillo, a groundout and a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 8-3.
Lake Travis made one final push, cutting the deficit to 8-6 on two RBI singles and a sacrifice fly.
Sophomore Bailey Kelley came on in relief of Krieg and steadied things, tossing 3.2 innings while allowing just one run and striking out three.
The Lady Hippos responded with eight unanswered runs over the next two innings, including an RBI single from Hicks in the sixth.
Hutto broke the game open in the seventh, scoring seven runs on RBI singles from Castillo, Harris and junior Ayanna Marquez. Hicks added a two-RBI double, and another run scored on a fielder’s choice to secure the runrule victory.
The Lady Hippos extended their winning streak to 20 and will face San Antonio Clark in a three-game series. Game 1 is set for Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m. in Hutto and Game 2 will be Friday, May 1 at 5 p.m. at the Don Hardin Athletic Complex, 7001 Culebra Drive, San Antonio. Game 3 will follow at 7 p.m. Friday if necessary.
