A tough season is drawing to a close for the softball team at Wimberley High School (2-7 district.) Yet in a season of turbulence, relationships have deepened and positive steps continue to be taken.
The ladies played three games last week, making up for a bad weather game against Bandera High School at home on Monday, April 10.
Senior Addison Kirbo pitched the first four and a third innings, striking out four while allowing four hits and two bases on balls. Freshman Charlotte Woodward relieved Kirbo, pitching the last two and twothirds allowing one hit, walking one and striking out three. The Bulldogs scored two in the second inning after both teams went scoreless in the first. The Texans’ Rhagen Masur led off the bottom of the second with a single on a fly ball to right. She then stole second then third as Woodward stepped up to bat. Woodward placed a bunt down to third base, singling and scoring Masur to make the score 2-1. Though the ladies would load the bases with one out, they were unable to capitalize.
Bandera scored two more in the top of the third and added four more in the top of the fifth. Reese Adams and Owens were the only two Texans able to get on the base path after the second inning while the Bulldogs mustered another run in the seventh, taking the victory at 9-1.
“Bandera was the big one for us. To have a realistic chance of the playoffs, we needed to get that win,” Coach Robert Klick said. “We just didn’t hit that night. We made a lot of errors with two outs and just didn’t close out innings, allowing them more opportunities to score.”
The path did not get easier for the Texans as the team traveled to Fredericksburg High School on Tuesday, April 11 to take on the second place Billies.
Klick continued: “We still mathematically had a chance going into Tuesday’s game. With our last three opponents, we knew that we were going to have to play perfect. We jumped out in the first inning when Juniper had a nice hit. Then Addison Kirbo came up huge, following her up with a double. Juniper scored, and we were up 1-0 in the first against Fred.”
Disheartened by a double play call on a 1-3-5 where Adams was called out under questionable circumstances at third base, the Texans played hard but failed to generate offense when the opportunity presented itself. The game remained nip and tuck through the first three innings with the Billies tying the score in the bottom of the third. The game got out of hand in the fourth when the Billies added four to go up 5-1. They then collected six in the bottom of the fifth, invoking the 10-run rule to win 11-1.
“I was proud of the girls for fighting,” Klick shared. “Fredericksburg’s always good. Errors got the best of us, and [we were] not hitting the ball great.”
Davenport High School brought their third place team to Wimberley on Friday, April 14 for senior night. Pregame activities recognized Kirbo and Owens and the contributions of their families to the young ladies and their commitment to their sport. It was a warm moment in a difficult season and one that Coach Klick reflected upon.
“I’m so proud of them both,” he said. “Grace is new to us this year, and she has done a tremendous job behind the plate. She’s so strong defensively; it’s gonna be hard losing her.”
“I’ve had Addison for four years, and that’s really gonna hurt,” he added. “I’m just so proud of that kid. She’s come a long way over these four years. We’re definitely gonna miss her.”
Kirbo started the game as pitcher for the Texans, going four and a third with two strikeouts, two walks and five hits. Woodward went two and two-thirds in relief striking out two and giving up three hits with a walk.
The Texans again kept the game close early, surrendering one run in the first, two in the third and holding Davenport scoreless in the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth, the Texans mounted an attempt at a comeback with Kirbo homering for the first time this season. Masur was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch. After two outs, Masur remained at second when Woodward drew a walk, placing Texans at first and second with two outs. The fourth wound to a close with the next batter and the third out.
Wimberley would manage to put four more on base without recording another run, succumbing to the Wolves 8-1.
Klick offered up his thoughts about the game after the team met on the Texan home field a final time for the season.
“Addison gave us a great start tonight in the circle,” he said. “She got her first home run of the year. Doing that on her last home game was just special.”
“I loved our energy,” Klick added. “I thought we showed up to fight, and that’s what you’ve got to do. I just want our girls to compete the best that they can and whatever happens, happens. That’s all that I want from these girls and if we approach Tuesday’s game like we approached tonight, I’ll be stinking proud of them..”
Texan softball closed out the season Tuesday, April 18 versus Boerne High School.
