KYLE — The Hutto Lady Hippos varsity softball team opened the playoffs with a 2-0 win over Del Valle on Thursday, April 24, in the first game of a best-of-three series at Lehman High School.
Hutto benefitted from a dominant outing from freshman pitcher Bailey Kelley, who threw a completegame shutout, allowing just three hits and recording four strikeouts. She set the tone early, retiring the Cardinals in order in the top of the first.
Hutto threatened to score in the bottom half of the first inning after junior Sophie McElyea singled and Sanchez drew a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. However, the Lady Hippos were unable to bring them home.
Del Valle loaded the bases with one out in the second, but Kelley induced a groundout and followed it up with a strikeout to escape the jam unscathed.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when junior Kenna Spence came through with a two-out RBI single to give Hutto a 1-0 lead. Moments later, senior Mia Martinez scored on an errant throw from the Cardinals’ catcher that sailed over the third baseman’s head, extending the lead to 2-0.
Del Valle had a chance to respond earlier in the fifth after a passed ball sent a runner charging toward home, but catcher McKenzie Klos applied the tag for a crucial out to preserve the shutout.
Kelley remained in control, retiring the side in order in the sixth and working around a leadoff walk in the seventh to seal the win and put Hutto up 1-0 in the best-ofthree bi-district series.
The Lady Hippos returned to action on Friday, April 25, with a chance to sweep the Cardinals and advance to the area round. If necessary, Game 3 will be played Saturday, April 26, at 1 p.m.
