A one-sided second inning proved to be the difference for Bowie softball finishing their game early on Tuesday at home against Nocona.
The Lady Rabbits won in three innings against the Lady Indians.
The game started off competitive.
After holding Nocona to a three-up-three-down top of the first inning, Bowie’s Maylie Short led off with a triple. She ended up scoring on an error from the catcher two batters later.
After drawing two walks and performing a double steal, Carrington Davis hit a fly ball deep enough in the outfield to score Katelyn Allison and put the Lady Rabbits up 2-0.
The Lady Indians answered back in the top of the second. After the first two batters struck out, Nocona hit four straight singles, scoring a run when Taylor Richards drove in Koryahna Contreas.
A hard ground ball by Taylor Rivera went through the second basemen for an error and scored two runs to put Nocona up 3-2.
This was the Lady Indians first lead they had gotten on an opponent during district play. Showing they could hit and put pressure on Bowie on the road following their best played game on Friday showed Nocona they were heading in the right direction. They could win this game on the road if they could pitch and play sound defense.
The bottom of the second inning came. The Lady Rabbits have been known for having big offensive innings when they need it and the Lady Indians have had problems stopping big innings.
Bowie loaded the bases with no outs. Short drew a walk to tie the game at 3-3. The next batter is when things started to go south.
Several illegal pitch calls scored runs and took an out away. A Nocona fan was told to leave by the umpire.
All of sudden, things were looking bad for the Lady Indians with them unable to dig themselves out.
The Lady Rabbits Chelsey Ketchum drove in two runs on a single to go up 7-3. An illegal pitch scored another run. Kylie Fleming drove in a run on a bunt single. Season Eudey drew a walk for a run.
Short drove in two runs on a single. Taylor McCarty hit a bases clearing inside the park home run. Fleming drove in another run.
It was 16-3 by the time the second inning finally ended.
Nocona was fighting to extend the game. A leadoff single by Karlee Keck was worked around the bases into scoring position where Contreas was able to get her home on a ground out to cut the lead to 16-4. The next batter grounded out to end the inning.
Bowie needed to score three runs in the bottom of the third inning to end the game early. They were able to quickly load the bases and with one out, Allison hit a hard ground ball through the second basemen for an error that cleared the bases and ended the game 19-4.

To read more, pickup a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.