Big Spring’s pitching and defense kept the Lady Steers competitive throughout the tournament. Pitchers Kenzie Hunt, Desiree Yanez and Kelly Sage each pitched a shutout and didn’t surrender any earned runs over three days as the Lady Steers finished seventh out of 28 teams.

The Lady Steers opened with a 1-0 loss to San Antonio Antonian, despite Hunt giving up just one hit on the mound. Antonian’s only run was unearned, but Big Spring couldn’t find consistency at the plate as Linzee Yarbar had both of the Lady Steers’ hits.

Big Spring played to 0-0 ties in Games 2 and 3, but won both contests by advancing more runners to third base than its opponent. Kelly Sage had the shut out in Game 2 against San Antonio Poteet, striking out five batters in the process.

Hunt picked up a shut out in Game 3 against San Antonio Incarnate Word, notching four Ks.

The Lady Steers finally picked up a true win in Game 4, which served as a seeding game, against San Antonio Saint Agnes. Big Spring overcame a 1-0 first inning deficit to win 3-2. Sage picked up the win, striking out another five batters.

Jillian Valle had two RBIs, knocking in Hunt in the second inning with a single and scoring Ashliegh Ramirez in the fourth courtesy of a sacrifice fly. Ramirez had the Lady Steers’ other RBI with a single that scored Sage in the fourth.

The Game 4 victory put Big Spring in the gold bracket of the tournament, which was the top bracket. The Lady Steers opened against two Class 5A  schools from Corpus Christi and fell to both.

Corpus Christi Moody defeated Big Spring in Game 5, 2-0, despite the Lady Steers outhitting Moody, 3-2. Unfortunately, the Lady Steers had two errors, allowing Moody to score both of its runs unearned. Hunt took the loss, striking out three batters.

Big Spring was shut out again by Corpus Christi Carroll in Game 6, 4-0. The Lady Steers were guilty of another four errors and all four of Carroll’s runs were unearned. Sage received her first loss of the tournament, but struck out four batters.

In their final game of the tournament, the Lady Steers avenged a Game 1 loss to Antonian and finally got on track at the plate, winning 6-0. Yanez pitched the shut out, striking out five batters, and also helped her own cause, hitting an in-the-park home run in the second inning that also scored Yarbar and Ramirez.

Yarbar and Yanez also scored in the first inning to give Big Spring a 2-0 lead, courtesy of a Sage single to center. Valle scored the Lady Steers’ final run after Valerie Ross knocked an RBI single.

The Lady Steers travel to Hobbs, N.M. Thursday and then visit Brownwood Friday.