Timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and effective pitching were on full display over the course of four games for the Fort Stockton baseball team at the Comanche Classic on Thursday, Feb. 25 and Friday, Feb. 26.
The Panthers secured three victories --- all in dominant fashion – to begin three-day event before finishing with a high-scoring loss to Big Spring.
Fort Stockton tallied 38 runs in their three wins, defeating Kermit 9-1, Alpine 18-0, and Stanton 11-2.
It was close, and then it wasn’t.
Fort Stockton trailed 4-3 after 2 1/2 innings in their first game of the regular season on Tuesday against Presidio at home.
Then the Panthers took control of the contest and never looked back with an 11-run third inning that propelled them to a 16-4 victory in a five-inning contest due to mercy rule.
Iraan sophomore Graycee Morado didn’t shy away from the challenge at hand in the biggest game of her young career on Thursday, Feb. 11 when the Bravettes played Balmorhea (7-9) in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs at Fort Stockton High School.
And her teammates didn’t either.
Madison Harvey, Kailey Rico, Abagail Smith, Dayanara Torres, and Morado scored at least one basket apiece in the third quarter to turn a 15-14 halftime deficit to a 27-21 lead.