The state-ranked Kingwood Mustangs ended the Barbers Hill Tournament with a bang. A couple of them.
After a disappointing Friday where they tied and lost a game, the Mustangs returned Saturday at a different site – Crosby High School – where it beat defending state champion and fellow final four team Weslaco, 6-4, and then beat the host Cougars, 8-0.
In the finale against Crosby, leadoff hitter Addyson Sheppard muscled a solo shot to left field in the fourth inning, and two batters later, sophomore Hunter Quentel hit a two-run laser over the left-center field wall to cap the 4-1-1 three-day marathon for the No. 4 Mustangs (10-1-1).
“When the top of the order is clicking, everything seems to roll a lot better,” Kingwood coach Christa Williams-Yates said. “That’s with any team. It’s nice to see them find their swings a little bit.”
Quentel shined in the circle on the bright and sunny afternoon – a far cry from the cold and grey weather that canceled last week’s Humble ISD Tournament.
Quentel went all five innings against the Cougars (6-3) where she struck out eight, walked one and allowed just two hits.
The sophomore’s biggest moment was getting the strikeout with the bases loaded in the third inning.
“I thought she did a lot better today,” Williams-Yates said of Quentel. “My staff is coming along. It’s a diverse staff. Hunter is getting there. Frei (Pizarro) is getting there, Lyndsey (Gilman) is getting there and Kendall (Yates) is getting her spots. It’s just trying to get them to all mesh and get better every single time out. I thought Hunter did exceptionally well today.”
Sheppard started off the game with an opposite field triple. She scored on an overthrow at the base. The senior was 3-for-3 with three runs.
Senior Leilani Garcia was 2-for-3 with a two-run double in the second inning. Mia Gagliardi also drove in a run.
Earlier against Weslaco, Quentel and freshman Samantha Trzecki homered. Quentel also tripled and totaled two RBIs, Sheppard, Pizarro and Gagliardi all doubled. Gagliardi was 2-for-3 with an RBI while Pizarro was also 2-for-3. Gilman added an RBI.
Gilman went five innings in relief with one earned run and five strikeouts.
Although Weslaco lost a lot from last year, it was a quality win against the team that was opposite them in the other state semifinal last May. The Panthers went on to beat Waco Midway in the state title game.
“Seeing them come around – it’s so much fun watching them play the game the way it’s meant to be played,” Williams-Yates said about the all-around effort on Saturday.
Friday’s games
In a game that went eight innings, Kingwood and Brazoswood played to a 1-1 draw.
The Mustangs struck first with a Sheppard run in the top of the first. Quentel doubled, but the Mustangs were held to three hits and struck out 11 times against Buccaneers starter Keira Thacker, who went all eight innings.
Gilman went 3⅓ innings for Kingwood with one unearned run allowed. She struck out two and allowed two hits. Pizarro went four innings with two hits allowed, four walks and one strikeout.
The Mustangs then suffered their first loss of the season to Barbers Hill in another pitcher’s duel that yielded the 3-1 decision and seven total hits.
Quentel went all five innings with five strikeouts. She allowed one earned run and four hits.
Sheppard hit a solo homer and Garcia tripled in defeat.
Barbers Hill pitcher Taylor Lozano went all six innings with eight strikeouts, five walks, one earned run and three hits allowed.
“It’s always hard to lose,” Williams-Yates said. “I felt like we needed it. This tournament was great, especially since we didn’t play for 11 days. We had to find ourselves a little bit and do a little soul searching. I’m really proud this team responded today. I feel really good about the next step for this team.”
Thursday’s games
Kingwood opened up the tournament with a 5-1 win over No. 11-ranked Keller and an 11-4 win over Dickinson in games played at Barbers Hill.
Against the Indians, the Mustangs pulled away in the sixth inning with three runs.
Quentel was 2-for-3 with a triple and Galiardi was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sheppard, Pizarro and Yates also had RBIs.
Gilman went four innings for the win. She didn’t allow any runs while striking out three. Pizarro gave up one earned run in two innings pitched. She struck out two and allowed three hits.
Against Dickinson, the Mustangs ran out to a 7-0 lead through two innings. The Gators got four back in the third before Kingwood added four more runs.
Quentel added two more extra-base hits with a pair of doubles. She drove in a run. Pizarro also doubled and had an RBI. Mata tripled on a 2-for-3 game.
Garcia had two RBIs while Sheppard, Gagliardi and Yates each had one.
Yates and Pizarro split duty in the circle. Yates allowed two earned in 2 ⅔ innings. Pizarro went 2⅓ with two hits allowed and two strikeouts.
Up next
Kingwood begins District 23-6A Tuesday at Goose Creek Memorial.
Kingwood sophomore Hunter Quentel delivers a pitch earlier this week (Jose Palomo/SportCast Media)
