THRALL — The Thrall Tigerettes varsity softball team edged the Thorndale Bulldogs 2-1 in a playoff warmup game, as junior Miley Pokorny surpassed the 600-career strikeout milestone. Pokorny threw a complete game, allowing one run and striking out eight.
The Tigerettes faced early trouble in the top of the first after a walk and a single put two Thorndale runners on base with no outs.
Pokorny and the Thrall defense shut the door with three consecutive outs to escape the jam.
Both teams were scoreless through the next three innings before the Tigerettes broke through. Thrall plated two runs in the fourth — one on an error and another on a sacrifice fly from junior Riley Luton.
Thorndale answered in the top of the fifth with an RBI triple to cut the lead to 2-1. After Thrall went down in order in the bottom half, the Bulldogs once again threatened in the sixth, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Pokorny responded with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and preserve the lead.
In the seventh, senior Mikayla Velasquez sealed the win by tracking down a fly ball for the final out.
Thrall now turns its attention to the postseason and will face Elkhart in a winnertake- all bi-district playoff game at 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 24, in Navasota. The Elks finished the regular season with a 17-5-1 overall record and went 10-2 in District 20-3A.
Elkhart is led in the circle by freshman Gracie Wade, who holds a 3.62 ERA. Pokorny is expected to get the start for Thrall, bringing a 2.08 ERA into the contest.
Offensively, Elkhart is powered by freshman Marisa Denny, who boasts a .604 batting average. Luton leads Thrall at the plate with a .397 average.
The winner will advance to the area round of the playoffs.
Time, date and opponent are to be determined.
