Wilbur no-hits Lady Bears as Lady Cards prevail 2-0

Published 8:54 pm Thursday, March 29, 2018

LITTLE CYPRESS — Snakebit.

That would describe the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bears every single time they’ve had to face Bridge City Lady Cardinal ace Kassidy Wilbur.

Wilbur, the three-time All-Orange Leader Team’s Softball Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year in 2017, worked her magic yet again against the Lady Bears Thursday night in District 22-4A play as LC-M has never defeated her in her amazing four-year run.

After fanning 19 and allowing just one-hit against LC-M at Lady Cardinal Field Tuesday night in a 2-0 victory, Wilbur upped the ante even more Thursday at Lady Bear Field.

Wilbur tossed a complete-game no-hitter, striking out 15 Lady Bears and allowing just one walk as the Lady Cardinals prevailed 2-0 to remain in first-place in the 22-4A standings. That’s a pretty amazing feat because the Lady Bears have certainly been no slouch at hitting the ball in Wilbur’s four-year stint on the hill, they’ve just struggled against her.

Wilbur even went that extra mile, hitting a deep solo home run to lead off the third inning for the defending 22-4A champion Lady Cardinals (19-7, 5-0).

The Lady Bears (18-3, 3-2) only base runner came in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Bailey Frenzel drew a leadoff walk.

Wilbur led off the first inning with a single to left off LC-M starter Renna Toomey. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Abby Anderson and to third on a Caitlin Denison ground out but Toomey got out of it by getting Kyndall Harrison to fly out deep to centerfield.

The Lady Cardinals were able to manufacture a run in the bottom half of the second frame.

Aleah McClanahan started it off with a single past short. She moved to second off a nice sacrifice bunt by Chloe Halliburton and advanced to third on a passed ball. She would score when Natilee Reed brought her home with a sacrifice fly to leftfield as McClanahan was able to barely beat the throw and tag to put Bridge City up 1-0.

With one out in the bottom of the third, Wilbur launched a deep solo bomb over the centerfield fence for an insurance run. After Denison reached on a two-out infield single, Toomey was replaced on the hill by Brianna Frenzel.

Toomey worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing four hits while fanning one.

The Lady Cardinals went on to struggle at the plate against Frenzel. Frenzel went the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit while fanning four. Frenzel had a solid outing as well in the 2-0 loss at Bridge City Tuesday.

After Bailey Frenzel drew the leadoff walk for the Lady Bears in the fifth, with one out, Jonee Villanueva hit a sharp fly that Lady Cardinal third baseman Denison made a solid catch on and Denison winged it over to first to double up courtesy runner Emily Landry.

McClanahan had a bloop single to leadoff the seventh for the Lady Cardinals. However, Lady Bear shortstop Toomey made a dazzling play on a hard hit ball by Halliburton and turned it into a nice double play as the Lady Bears had one last chance at the plate. However, it did not take long as Wilbur ended the contest by promptly striking out the side.

The Lady Cardinals will look to continue their winning ways Tuesday night when they visit last-place West Orange-Stark while the Lady Bears will look to turn their fortunes around when they welcome in the Orangefield Lady Bobcats.