Owens throws first ‘pitch perfect’ game

10-0 over Agua Dulce



 

 

Fifteen up, fifteen down.

Port Aransas sophomore Kendall Owens pitched the first perfect game of her career on Friday, March 24, leading the Lady Marlins to a 10-0, run-rule win over visiting Agua Dulce. Owens, who struck out nine and did not allow a base runner, did not realize she was flirting with perfection.

“I didn’t know it until my brother told me (afterward),” said Owens, who improved to 9-3. “You really don’t think about things like that. You just go out and pitch and do what you know. It just comes natural.”

It came easy against Agua Dulce. The Lady Marlins (10-7) posted eight runs in the bottom of the first. That allowed Owens the luxury of working on different pitches and focus on spotting her pitches and getting ahead in the count.

It also allowed coach Jonathan Sheffield to make liberal substitutions.

“With Kendall’s speed, they were a little outmatched,” Port Aransas coach Jonathan Sheffield said. “We needed to take care of the kids who have been cheering us on and give them some at-bats and we did what we needed to do.”

Port Aransas pounded out nine hits, scored eight runs (all with two outs) and sent 13 batters to the plate in the first inning. Ten Lady Marlins had at least one hit.

Meanwhile, Owens cruised. She threw 49 pitches in five innings and lowered her ERA against district opponents to 0.90.

Owens had struck out 56 and walked two in five district games – all victories – heading into a game at fellow unbeaten district opponent Three Rivers on Tuesday, March 28.

Agua Dulce never hit a ball beyond the infield. Amber Ortega led off the game with a lineout to third baseman Charlotte Ramsden and Megan Calvez flied out to second base. Three more Longhorns grounded out. The rest struck out.

“I feel like we’re still growing as a team,” Owens said. “We’re still working to get better, so things can only go up from here.”


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