Kenna Wong’s Defense and Bella Sulma’s Offense Drive 7-7 Tie With Cy Fair

The Stratford faithful attended the Front Yard on a beautiful February day to cheer on the Spartans in their first regular season game, a District joust against rival Cy Fair.

The Bobcats came ready to play, with the first four batters spraying singles against starter Keely Meeks. What might have been a huge Cy Fair inning was tempered by catcher Kenna Wong, who went full Gandalf in twice declaring that Bobcat runners at third base SHALL NOT PASS. She picked off the pair with sequential laser strikes to Emerson Hiler, who completed the tags. When Meeks fielded a ground ball hit back at her, the Spartans escaped the first inning with only a three-run deficit.

Stratford responded quickly, with Wong becoming the season’s first baserunner on a shortstop’s error, and then scoring the season’s first run courtesy of Kate Sanantonio, who drove a hard grounder through the left side for the season’s first hit and RBI. After walks by Meeks (relieved at first by pinch runner Dulce Soto), Mackenzie York, and Hiler, Bella Sulma blasted a liner to left center, driving in two. Laura de la Rosa followed up with an RBI single of her own, upon which the Spartans had batted the lineup and completed their 5-run inning.

Cy Fair managed only one run in the 2nd, thanks to a solid play by Hiler on a sacrifice bunt and two strikeouts by Meeks. However, the Spartans could not capitalize in their half, and took a slim 5-4 lead into the third and final inning.

The Bobcats took a 7-5 lead in the top of the 3rd, but thanks to Shelby Thibodeaux baiting the Cy Fair baserunner into committing interference, a graceful outfield catch by Sofia Lozada and a nifty conversion of a sacrifice bunt by Cacey Valencia, Cy Fair was limited to three runs.

Down to the Spartans' last inning and down two runs, Meeks led off with a double that tested the limits of time and space in center field, and Lozada drove her in with a liner up the middle. With two outs and the game on the line, Allie Richardson smashed a way-too-hot-to-handle line drive at the shortstop. By the time the fielder located the ball, her glove, and her dignity, Lozada had scored the tying and final run.

The JV Spartans next face Cy Creek at home on Tuesday, February 27.