Sabine teams swept, too
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

The District 15-3A softball race might be one of the most interesting in East Texas in the last weeks of the regular season.

Homestanding Sabine High School saw Spring Hill eke out with a 5-4 victory on Tuesday night, giving the Lady Panthers a share of first place in 15-3A, along with Sabine and Mineola.

Sabine (8-10 overall, 3-1 in 15-3A play) visits Gladewater on Friday night, a 5:30 p.m. junior varsity start.

The baseball Cardinals, coached by Bryan Stagner, Andy Bates and Karl Koelker, also lost at home to Spring Hill last night, and also play at Gladewater on Friday.

• Spring Hill 5, Sabine 4 (softball): Coach Sarah Ricks-Creech's Lady Cardinals had Spring Hill on the ropes until the Lady Panthers managed to plate three runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Sabine's Sandy James struck out six, walked three and allowed just one earned run in seven innings. Kayla Williams got the win on the mound for SHHS, striking out eight and also walking three.

Sabine didn't lose over a lack of hitting. The Lady Cards racked up nine hits on the night. Catcher Alex Easley was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Hayley Hayes went 2-for-3, also with an RBI.

ON THE DIAMOND ACTION - Sabine High School softball and baseball teams lost at home to Spring Hill on Tuesday night. Top left: Sabine's Lindsey Bryce (left) tries to make a tag on a Spring Hill player. Above: Sabine pitcher Zach Howell hurls a pitch to the plate. Howell hit a home run in the game.

James was 1-for-2 at the plate (an RBI double), and Cortnee Ryan went 1-for-3. Cassie Headley, Chelsea Headley and Lindsey Bryce each went 1-for- 4: all of those were singles. Cassie Headley had a stolen base. Janell DeFreece technically didn't get a hit, but had an RBI.

• Spring Hill 8, Sabine 4 (baseball): Zach Howell did what he could - Howell pitched and also hit a home run for the Cardinals - but the Panthers were just too much for the Cards on Tuesday night. Spring Hill is 16-1 on the season, undefeated so far in district play.

The loss drops the Cardinals to 0-3 in district play so far this schedule.

Tyler Leath picked up the win for the Panthers. Sabine scored its runs in the second, the third, and the fourth innings.