HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Permian’s offense quieted by Keller Timber Creek in Game 2 area-round loss

ABILENE After a dominant offensive showing in Game 1, the Permian Lady Panthers failed to come out with the same type of intensity in Game 2 of their area round best-of-3 softball series Friday afternoon at Abilene Christian University’s Wells Field.

The Timber Creek Falcons defeated Permian 8-2. Game 3 takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday.

It was a battle through the first four innings until the Falcons rallied for four runs in the fifth inning. Mady Lohman hit an RBI double, while Sydney Smith and Sarah Hawkins each tallied a pair of RBI singles to highlight the big inning.

Trailing 4-0, Permian struggled to put the bat on the ball. It had just six hits, while it left five runners on base.

Timber Creek (20-9) scored four more runs in the sixth. Karizma White had a clutch two-RBI single. The Falcons compiled four hits in the inning. Hawkins drew a bases loaded walk in the rally to help her team extend its lead to 8-0.

The Lady Panthers finally scored in the seventh inning when Aliyah Lara hit an RBI double and Karisma Aguilar drove in a run on a groundout to the shortstop.

Permian (30-3) was led by Lara, who went 2 for 4 with a single, double and an RBI. Brianna Dominguez and Monique Pando each went 1 for 3 with a single.

It seemed like deja vu all over again for Permian. It went through a similar situation in bi-district where its offense was on one day, and the next day, it looked like a different team.

“Knowing that we can work together, get our sticks there and defense needs to be where it needs to be like it was,” Hunter Harkrider said when asked about what her team must do to regroup for Game 3. “Our hitting wasn’t there … just (a) little bit (of) mistakes.”

The Permian pitching staff made up of Alexis Morales, Mariah Rey and Jaycee Morales combined to allow seven earned runs on 11 hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Four Timber Creek hitters finished with multiple hits. White finished 2 for 4 with two singles and three RBIs. Baylee Myers went 2 for 2 with a single, triple and a walk.

Permian will look to advance to the regional quarterfinals in Game 3 by being selective at the plate and coming out focused and energized.

“Being very selective, so we know that’s our pitch and we know how to swing it,” Harkrider said. “We just need to refocus, get our minds right and just come out and do what we know how to do tomorrow.”