Kingwood head coach Christa Williams-Yates described the competitiveness of her team as a ‘blessing and a curse’.
On Friday night, that competitive spirit could be classified as a blessing. The Mustangs simply never gave up.
In what the Texas Girls Coaches Association could describe as an upset, No. 10 Kingwood defeated No. 5 Atascocita 4-1 Friday night after the Mustangs hit back-to-back homers in the bottom of the sixth to break up a tie game.
Kingwood (14-1-1, 4-0) crunched Channelview 18-0 earlier in the week and it now stands alone atop District 23-6A entering the third week of district play.
Kingwood travels to C.E. King Tuesday night before hosting Summer Creek Friday. Both games are scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Kingwood struggled breaking through on Atascocita pitcher Maya Hernandez until they didn’t. Entering the sixth inning, the Mustangs had just three hits and the lone run was manufactured on a crafty double-steal in bottom of the first.
Kingwood had the top of the order to start the sixth as Leilani Garcia walked with one out. In stepped Mia Gagliardi who went opposite field for the two-run homer and the two-run lead. Hunter Quentel carried that momentous moment with one of her own, an absolute blast of a solo shot to left to provide an insurance run.
With a strikeout sandwich, Quentel set Atascocita down in order in the seventh to secure the win.
The win came off an absurd performance Tuesday night as the Mustangs totaled 11 extra-base hits – including homers by Addyson Sheppard, Quentel, Gagliardi and Kendall Yates – against Channelview. The Mustangs took 37 total bases off 16 kits in the win.
This week, the Mustangs play King (9-8, 2-2), which is tied for fifth with North Shore, and state-ranked Summer Creek (14-2, 3-1), which is tied with Atascocita for second.
King lost to Summer Creek 9-1 last Tuesday before turning things around Friday with a 9-0 win against Humble.
Last year, Kingwood beat King 8-1 in March and 7-2 in April.
In the March game, Sheppard, Garcia and Quentel all homered while Quentel struck out nine in five innings. The April game saw McKenna Holm go 3-for-3 with a double and two runs while Abella Mata had two hits and two RBIs. Quentel once again struck out nine, this time in a complete-game.
Summer Creek, ranked No. 21 last week, beat King (9-1) and Goose Creek Memorial (7-0) on consecutive days. The Bulldogs play host to Humble Tuesday night. Summer Creek has eight players with nine-or-more RBIs on the season.
A year ago, Kingwood beat Summer Creek 4-0 in March and 10-0 in April. Garcia doubled three times in the March game while Sheppard homered. Quentel allowed one hit and walked four with seven strikeouts in a complete-game. Quentel then earned a six-inning no-hitter in April with eight strikeouts and one walk. She was supported at the plate by Garcia, who added another double and two RBIs.
Kingwood’s Hunter Quentel (7) reacts to a home run by teammate Mia Gagliardi in the game against Atascocita on March 14, 2025. (Noah Mabry/SportCast Media)
