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A&M Consolidated and Bryan played seven good, entertaining innings of softball Thursday night. The Lady Tigers handled the fifth inning better, and that was the difference in Consol's 2-1 victory.
The Lady Tigers grabbed the lead with a two-out rally in the fifth and held it with clutch pitching and defense to take the first round of the Crosstown Showdown at the Aggie Softball Complex. Consol (13-9) claimed the outright lead in District 13-5A at 3-0, dropping Bryan (12-9, 2-1) into second place.
Both teams produced good hits and defensive plays, but the Lady Tigers were a bit better when the pressure was most intense.
"This is the way softball should be played, win or lose," Consol coach Billy Hicks said. "The two great teams of the Brazos Valley battling all the way."
Although the game ended with the potential tying run at third, the showdown turned in the fifth.
Bryan had scored in the fourth to make it 1-1, and momentum seemed to be shifting toward the Lady Vikings. But Consol's speedy leadoff hitter Ashley Heritage reached on a bunt single with two outs and stole second base. Sarah Allison lined the next pitch to left field, driving in Heritage for a 2-1 lead.
"I bet we score 80 percent of our runs [with two outs]," Hicks said. "A lot of teams will get two outs and give up, but both teams were putting pressure on each other tonight."
Bryan's Ashley Lara started the bottom of the fifth with a triple to right-center, but that pressure made Consol pitcher Jessica Chastka shine brighter. Chastka stranded Lara at third by getting two pop outs sandwiched around a strikeout.
"They answered the call, and we didn't," Bryan coach Enrique Luna said. "That's what it came down to. They got the hits when they needed them."
Bryan threatened again in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff double by Jennifer Saxby. Pinch runner Patty Gorzycki moved to third on a groundout by Lara that could have been much more.
Consol first baseman Casie Westbrook saw Lara's squibber spin off her glove. Westbrook chased down the ball and was facing second base when she made a perfect backward toss to second baseman Julianne Riley covering first, nipping the speedy Lara.
"I don't know how she did that," Hicks said. "We don't practice that."
Chastka (9-4) took care of the next two batters, retiring pinch hitters on a soft liner back to the pitcher before finishing the game with her 11th strikeout.
"In the past, we haven't finished the seventh inning [so well]," Hicks said. "This was a good learning experience for us. When they put the pressure on us, we were able to take care of what we needed to do."
Consol took the lead in the second inning, which began with Riley lining a double to left-center. Riley moved to third on a fly ball to shallow right field, then hustled home when the throw in from the outfield sailed high over the third baseman.
Chastka struck out six as the Lady Vikings failed to get a ball to an outfielder in the first three innings. In the fourth, Kristin Lara singled, advanced to second on a walk and scored when sophomore Jennifer Kasper delivered a two-out single to tie the game.
That was Bryan's only hit in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Bryan stranded five runners in scoring position during the last four innings, with Chastka recording key strikeouts in each frame.
"I'm so excited," Chastka said. "I've never beat them. Both teams came out to win, and they hit the ball good. I'm so glad my teammates had my back."
A&M Consolidated 2, Bryan 1
Consol 010 010 0 -- 2 8 0
Bryan 000 100 0 -- 1 5 3
Michelle Stratta and Calli Wood. Jessica Chastka and Sarah Allison. W -- Chastka, 9-4. L -- Stratta, 5-4. 2B -- Consol: Julianne Riley; Bryan: Jennifer Saxby. 3B -- Bryan: Ashley Lara. Records: Consol 13-9 overall, 3-0 in 13-5A; Bryan 12-9, 2-1. Time: 1:43. JV: Consol 6, Bryan 1.
• Larry Bowen's e-mail address is larry.bowen@theeagle.com.
