Hoerig helps Warriors shut down Cuero
Originally published February 19, 2011 at 10:15 p.m., updated February 19, 2011 at 10:55 p.m.
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CommentEverything was working for Karly Rae Hoerig, and it showed.
"Mostly curveballs, changes and drops," said the sophomore pitcher for Victoria West.
Hoerig was tasked with pitching four of the Warriors seven games at the Crossroads Softball Tournament over the weekend, including the Warriors' 9-0 win over Cuero, in which she scattered three hits over seven innings to pick up the win.
But it wasn't the most impressive one she pitched, she said.
"On Thursday, we beat a team 18-0 when I was pitching," she said. "They didn't really have any pitching."
The Warriors (4-4) are still sorting out their roster in the early going of the season, but secured a little bit of revenge.
The Warriors had lost to Cuero on Tuesday to open the season, 6-5. Warriors coach Rome McNary said the early going is all about learning and adjusting for Victoria West, which currently has only one senior on the roster and is waiting for two more from basketball.
"Right now, we're learning not to make mistakes," he said. "We need to not turn one error into two or three. When you make an error, it's all about getting up and not letting it happen again."
Saturday evening, the Warriors were about as good as they get. Along with pitching a complete game, Hoerig was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and the Warriors offense exploded for all nine of its runs in the first two innings.
Hoerig, who is likely to split time in the circle with junior Daren Gallup, was relying on secondary pitches.
"We didn't throw many fastballs, but it and my changeup are my best," she said.
McNary said the sophomore pitcher was on her game Saturday evening.
"It was like that all weekend," he said. "She was hitting her spots and changing speeds."
YOAKUM CLICKING EARLY
Yoakum dropped two games at the Crossroads Softball Tournament, both to talented Class 4A teams.
But the Lady Bulldogs coach, Scott Mann, thinks his team could have won both.
"Alice jumped on us early, and we waited until the seventh inning to hit the ball against East," he said.
Yoakum (5-2) graduated several seniors after making the playoffs last year. Like years before, though, a new group of young players have stepped up.
And everything is clicking early for the Lady Bulldogs.
"In previous years, the hitting was not there but the fielding was," Mann said. "This year, it's both."
And it's going to have to be that way all season for the Lady Bulldogs, who face a new set of challenges this season. The Lady Bulldogs now share a district with La Vernia, another top team in the region for softball.
Mann said he also expects Cuero, Gonzales and Poteet to be competing for the top of the district also.
"(La Vernia has) everyone back and their pitcher is solid," Mann said. "But even without everybody, we're hitting the ball well, it's a different team, and we've talked tradition earlier."
Yoakum has made the playoffs 16 of the last 17 years, and Mann said the players don't want to be the first to not live up to expectations.
"When they come in, they know they are going to work," he said. "We're going to be good, top to bottom. Our feeder programs have been really good, and that makes my job easier."
Yoakum opens district play on March 8.
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