Lady Broncos Bounce Back With Win

MISD Softball Tournament: North Wins, Boyd Splits, MHS Loses Two

The bats came alive with a vengeance, and everyone joined the party.

McKinney Boyd managed 12 hits in a five-inning game Thursday night, racing ahead of Nevada Community and hanging on for dear life in an uplifting 8-6 victory in the 13th annual McKinney ISD Softball Tournament

“Oh, my gosh, you don’t even know how excited we are,” said Boyd freshman pitcher Steff Palmisano, who gathered with her teammates outside a fence at Gabe Nesbitt Community Park. “It’s great.”

The Lady Broncos (2-8) needed something good to happen to them, considering earlier in the day Thursday they’d lost 10-1 to Royse City by committing more defensive errors than coach Stephanie Freeman would like to count.

But, as Freeman said, that’s the reality of coaching a team made up of ninth- and 10th-graders.

“That’s what we’ll do – two steps forward, then we’ll get cocky and take a step back,” Freeman said.

Give Freeman some of the credit for the latest two steps forward. She changed Boyd’s infield around – completely – and it paid dividends. In the Thursday finale, she moved Brittany Buaas to shortstop (from first base), Natalie Lynchard to first base (from third), Arielle Trankle to second base (from shortstop) and Brittany Graitge to third base (from second).

“I think I’ll keep it like that,” Freeman said.

Boyd scored four runs in the top of the first against Community. A two-run single by Christie Rogers scored Ashley Ollennu and Buaas. Trankle’s triple to left drove in a run and Palmisano’s single to center made it 4-0.

“I finally got a hit – that was huge,” said Palmisano, who also got the win on the mound.

Actually, Palmisano got two hits – including another one in a three-run third inning that gave Boyd a 7-0 lead. Ollennu got it started with her second bunt for a hit on the night. Buaas singled her home. Graitge singled in a run and so did Palmisano.

An RBI groundout by Trinkle in the fifth made it 8-1. And Boyd managed to hold off a serious rally in the bottom of the fifth that saw Community send 10 batters to the plate and score five runs before time was called on the game. Lady Bronco relief pitcher Hannah Yohn was summoned from the bullpen to record the final out – a strikeout.

Freeman said Palmisano had her best two pitching performances of the season, including the opening loss to Royse City, during which she pitched the entire way.

“[Palmisano] is coming along,” Freeman said. “She’s really hitting her spots. She actually got frustrated in the second inning [against Community]. She got the last out but said, `Coach, I didn’t hit my spot.’ That made me so excited that she realized that.”

Palmisano said, “I’ve decided I really want to get in there and look good. And I want to win. I am so driven to win now.”

Boyd’s lone run in the Royse City game came when Buaas singled, moved to third on Katherine Rowen’s double and scored on Graitge’s single.

Game Notes: Boyd assistant coach Juliet Fontana was a teacher and softball coach at Nevada Community from 1999 to 2003. The current Community coach took Fontana’s place…The Lady Broncos next play Prairiland at 2 p.m. Friday and Irving MacArthur at 8 p.m. Friday.

Lionettes Lose First Two Games In Tournament

McKinney High lost to Sherman, 3-0, and to Wichita Falls Rider, 10-1, on Thursday.

Hurler Leanne Shine was on the mound for the Lionettes (7-7) against Sherman. She gave up five hits and struck out three Sherman batters. Freshman Gina Guajardo led McKinney with a double. Molly Sexton and Lauren Touchberry each chipped in a hit in the losing effort.

In the second game, McKinney took an early lead, though it was short-lived. Jennifer Guzman reached first on an infield error. A fielder’s choice during Ashley Thomas’ at-bat put Guzman in scoring position. First baseman Touchberry singled up the middle to score the run.

A Lionette error eventually allowed one unearned run in the bottom of the first. Then, Rider added five runs each in the second and fourth innings.

Despite singles by Thomas and Touchberry in the third inning, McKinney could not capitalize and was shut down offensively.

McKinney faces Clear Brook Friday at 4 p.m.

Lady Bulldogs Win Sixth Consecutive Game

McKinney North senior pitcher Kristen Adkins and the defense behind her controlled the offense of Class 5A’s No. 8-ranked Burleson on Thursday, with North winning 4-0 in its opening game of the MISD Tournament.

The Lady Bulldogs (10-2-1) recorded their eighth shutout of the season.

Adkins allowed two hits and issued one walk. No Burleson baserunner reached third base.

The North bats came alive late, scoring three runs on Oklahoma State-bound pitcher Sarah Odom. Sophomore Kathy Shelton led off with a double to left-center and moved to third on a passed ball. After Lindsey Post walked, Kelsey Schendt drove Shelton in with a ground ball to second. The throw to the plate was too late to get the speedy Shelton. 

Post was forced out at the plate on a ground ball by Adkins. Meghan Knowles followed with a ground out that scored Schendt. Amy Kilpatrick singled home Adkins.

In the top of the seventh North scored one more. Schendt drove in Amanda Parsonage who had reached on a fielder’s choice.