Bucs clinch share of title, Pappion tosses one-hitter
Published 11:09 am Friday, April 8, 2022
- Barbe’s Halie Pappion pitches 10-strikeout, one-hitter against the Broncos Thursday at Sam Houston High in Moss Bluff. (Kirk Meche / Special to the American Press)
MOSS BLUFF — Sophomore Camryn Folsom helped spark Barbe’s offense Thursday, and Halie Pappion pitched a one-hitter as the Bucs beat Sam Houston 6-1 to claim at least a share of the District 3-5A softball title and snap the Broncos’ nine-game win streak.
Folsom hit a one-out single up the middle to bring home Sarah David for a 2-0 lead. She later scored on an error. It was part of a five-run fourth inning for the Bucs (20-6, 6-0). Skylar Lacomb followed Folsom with an RBI single.
“We had some big kids step up in the bottom of the lineup, which is something we haven’t been seeing,” Barbe head coach Candyce Carter said. “It is just tremendous to see, especially in a thriller of a game, a good rival game.
“Camryn Folsom was huge today down there in the lineup. It was nice to see kids step up that I haven’t seen step up. That was awesome. I am super proud of her.”
Pappion struck out 10 and walked one as the Broncos managed five base runners.
“I felt really good,” Pappion said. “I had my stuff working and I wanted to work for my team.
“I felt like we did a great job and I felt like the whole time they had my back. I just wanted to let them put the ball in play because I knew they would have my back no matter what. I think my riseball was working really well and my changeup. I think we are doing really good.”
Pappion walked the first batter she faced but retired the next three with a pair of strikeouts and a pop-up in the infield. She struck out three of the final four batters in the seventh to close out the game.
“I don’t have enough good words to say about Halie,” Carter said. “She keeps us in games and does her job. She is humble and phenomenal. I am super proud of her.”
The Broncos’ lone hit was a solo home by sophomore Hailey Mire in the fifth inning.
Sam Houston (20-6, 5-1) experienced defensive struggles as four of the Bucs’ six runs were unearned.
“I don’t think we played our best today but obviously there is stuff we need to work on,” Sam Houston head coach Beth Domingue said.
Barbe has won 15 of its last 16 games.
“I feel good with where we are,” Carter said. “I think that every time we play we have some kids step up and get a little bit better.
“We are just excited to continue to get better. We preach every day 1 percent better, and that is what we are looking for. I have high expectations so it can always be a little bit better, of course, in a coach’s book. But I am super proud of this team and what they did tonight.”