The Aledo Ladycats are off to what they hope will be another long season after going 5-1 in the first week of the 2023 campaign.
This includes winning four of five games in the Forney Tournament over the Feb. 16-18 weekend. Among their victories was a no-hitter by pitcher Nathalie Touchet.
In each of the past two seasons the Ladycats have reached the state tournament, including the state final two years ago. They are ranked No. 5 in the state by the Texas Girls Coaches Association.
“We have been facing a lot of really good 6A teams and looks like that will continue through this next tournament at Mansfield. With teams like Lake Ridge, Keller, and Mansfield, we are going to need to play solid defense and stay disciplined in the box,” Ladycats coach Heather Myers said.
Five of their six opponents this season have been Class 6A, with the lone exception being Richland.
“The Forney Tournament was great, and the caliber of play was pretty high as far as competition goes. Keller, Marcus, and Waxahachie are all very talented teams and are coached well. We struggled to find our groove hitting-wise Day 2 of the tournament but were able to settle in on Saturday and get some quality at-bats.
“Pitching wise, they took care of business. We always have a goal of holding our opponents to less than five hits a game and they pretty much did that with ease.”
The Ladycats defeated Keller 4-3, Joshua 1-0, lost 3-1 to Waxahachie, topped Flower Mound Marcus 2-0 and Richland 8-1. The Ladycats had defeated Waxahachie earlier in the week on Feb. 13, also by a 3-1 score in Waxahachie.
Touchet’s no-hitter came against Marcus as she struck out 12 and walked one in six innings. She also tossed a one-hitter in the win over Joshua, again striking out a dozen and walking just one in five innings.
“Nathalie Touchet definitely had a great tournament on the mound,” Myers said. “We are blessed to have the depth of pitching that we have, and more than ready to see each of them handle business on the mound this season.
“Overall, we still have work to do, but they're hungry and ready to do what they need to do to be in that last game of the season.”
The Ladycats’ Claire Byars had five hits, including a double, triple, home run, and two runs batted in. Texas Ray had five hits in the tournament that included three doubles, a home run and three RBI.
The Ladycats were playing at Waco Midway at press time and are in the Mansfield Tournament Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 23-25.
Aledo 4, Keller 3
Aledo hitting: Texas Ray 2-for-3, 2B; Brenlee Gonzales 2-3, 3B, RBI; Maddy Flora, 2-3, 2B; Kennis Marx 2-3; Addie Perry 1-3, 3B, RBI; Ana Flores 1-3, 2B; Maddy Jarvis SB; Chloe Cox SB; Taylor McKenzie SB.
Aledo pitching: Gonzales 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 earned), 6 K, 2 BB, 1 HP.
Aledo 1, Joshua 0
Aledo hitting: Ray 1-1, 2B, HP; Flores 2 HP, RBI; Perry BB; Gonzales BB; Jarvis BB.
Aledo pitching: Nathalie Touchet 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 12 K, 1 BB.
Aledo hitting: Delaney Rosser 1-2, 2B; Claire Byars 1-3, HR, RBI; Reagan Davis 1-2; Presley Hull BB.
Aledo pitching: Taylor McKean 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 earned), 4 K, 2 BB.
Aledo hitting: Byars 2-3, 3B; Ray 1-1, BB, RBI; Flores 1-3, 2B; Jarvis 1-2; Davis BB, SB.
Aledo pitching: Touchet 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 12 K, 1 BB.
Aledo hitting: Hull 3-3; Perry 2-4, 3B, RBI; Byars 2-3, 2B, RBI; Rosser 2-3, 2B; Gonzales 2-3; Ray 1-3, HR, 2 RBI; Flores 1-3, HR, 2 RBI; Jarvis 1-2.
Aledo pitching: Gonzales 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 earned), 10 K, 0 BB.
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