Competing in fast-pitch softball without an experienced pitcher usually is not a good situation.
The 2019 Ryan Cowgirl fast-pitch softball team experience that first hand during the recently completed season that saw the Cowgirls go winless in 19 games.
Without an experienced pitcher on the squad, coach Stan Mueggenborg looked to senior Samantha Good who had been a three-year starter at shortstop.
And, despite great effort throughout the season, according to Mueggenborg, Good could not carry the Cowgirls to one victory during the season.
Last Thursday the difficult campaign ended with two losses in the Class B District Tournament that was hosted by Big Pasture.
The Cowgirls lost the first game to Temple, 13-0, and then fell to Big Pasture, 18-4.
The game with Temple was close for three innings. Temple held a 2-0 lead after three innings, but the Lady Tigers exploded for 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to blow the game wide open.
Kodi Duke and Savannah Lashley had the only two hits for the Cowgirls in the contest.
The second game was much different as the Lady Rangers took a 3-0 lead after one inning and then blew the game open with 10 runs in the second inning to hold a 13-0 advantage.
Big Pasture added to the lead in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs to increase the margin to 15-0.
In the top of the fourth the Cowgirls put together a three-run uprising sparked by Good’s two-run home run. Lindsey Reake scored the other run for the Cowgirls on Katelyn Dabbs’ hit and the Cowgirls trailed 15-3.
The Rangers scored three more runs in bottom of the fourth that put the lead at 18-3.
In the top of the fifth the Cowgirls scored another run as Brooklyn Charmasson singled and later came around to score but it was not enough to end the game on the run-rule.
COWGIRL DIAMOND NOTES: The 19 losses in 2019 is the most losses in a season since the program started in 2000….There are nine years in which no final win-loss records are available….The Cowgirls have now lost six straight games in district tournament play….In 20 seasons the Cowgirls are 10-35 in district tourney games…This was the first year for the Cowgirls to play in a district tournament hosted by Big Pasture…Ryan is 2-9 in district tournament meetings with Temple…Ryan and Big Pasture have met only twice in district tournament play with each team winning one game…The 18 runs scored by Big Pasture was the third most allowed by the Cowgirls in 2019….Temple had upset Big Pasture, 3-2, in the first game of the tournament, but the Lady Rangers came back to win two straight over Temple and claim the district title….Big Pasture is ranked 16th heading into regional play.
