Deer Park’s first round gauntlet through the Clear Creek ISD schools continues this week.
After performing well in the first week of District 24-6A with wins over Clear Falls (12-1) and Clear Creek (5-4), the Deer head out to Clear Brook Tuesday evening and return to Doll Field Friday to play Clear Lake. Both games are scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Deer Park (12-4, 2-0) brings a seven-game winning streak into the week. Its last loss came against top-ranked Katy back on Feb. 27 during the Barbers Hill Invitational.
The Deer were hoping for new challenges in moving over to this district and they got just that against the Wildcats on Friday night.
The game came down to the wire as first baseman Zoie Powell snagged a game-ending double-play with two runners aboard.
It was a big sigh of relief as pitcher Braelynn Jones endured through all seven innings with 134 pitches tossed. The Texas Tech commit struck out four and gave up six hits and four walks with just two earned runs to her name.
Much like a week earlier, the top of the order was huge for Deer Park in the two wins.
Leadoff hitter Kayla Barras went 4-for-5 over both games with four runs scored, two RBIs and three stolen bases. Mariah Ramirez followed Barras in the order and went 5-for-6 with four runs scored in an RBI. She stole four bases.
As Jones picked up the win against Clear Creek, Madi Alvarado didn’t allow a hit through five innings in the Clear Falls game. She struck out two, walked two and allowed an unearned run.
Looking ahead to this week, Clear Brook is 3-8 overall and the Wolverines dropped both of its district games.
Clear Springs topped the Wolverines 19-7 in a wild one Tuesday night that went all seven innings. The Wolverines totaled 13 hits with Taliyah Williams homering.
Clear Brook then fell 7-2 to Dickinson three nights later. The Wolverines have dropped three straight six of its last seven games.
Deer Park is 4-2 in its most recent games against Clear Brook. It beat the Wolverines 4-2 in a memorable game that went 12 innings last March. Powell had three hits (including a double) and an RBI while Camryn Plocheck also doubled and drove in a run. Jones went all 12 innings in that contest with eight strikeouts and one earned run on seven hits.
Clear Lake, meanwhile, is 9-2 overall and went 1-1 last week. The Falcons played two of the more challenging opponents in the district and came away with a 5-4 win over Brazoswood last Tuesday, but followed with a 7-6 loss to Clear Springs on Friday.
Against Brazoswood, Clear Lake used a four-run third inning to lift them to the win. Leadoff hitter Izzy Ciurca was 3-for-4 (double, triple) with two RBIs. Ella Lozano struck out nine and allowed two earned runs in the complete game.
Bella Falls was 2-for-3 (double) with three RBIs in the loss to Clear Springs.
Deer Park has just one recent previous meeting with the Falcons. That came in 2022 with the Deer winning 2-0.
Deer Park’s Zoie Powell (13) and Mariah Ramirez (2) are seen during a game earlier this season. (Jose Palomo/SportCast Media)
