Lady Mustangs prepare for playoff run

The Nixon-Smiley Lady Mustangs softball concluded their regular season with their fourth straight playoff appearance since 2021.

The Lady Mustangs finished District 26-3A with a 6-2 record and will take on District 25’s Yoakum in a single-elimination bi-district match in Flatonia at 6 p.m.

The Lady Mustangs are led by head coach Jodie Vaughn, who, in her first year, led Nixon-Smiley to the playoffs and continued the playoff streak.

The Lady Mustangs on offense recorded 126 hits at bat, 17 home runs and 125 RBIs; junior Hailee Houseton led the team with 25 hits, 30 RBIs and tied for home runs (6) with senior Nichole Ivey.

On defense, the Lady Mustangs put out 266 batters in the field; Ivey leads the team with 75 put outs and she recorded two double plays.

Senior pitcher Kendall Amaya leads the team with 49 strikeouts and Ivey is second with 15 total strikeouts this season.

The Yoakum Lady Bulldogs finished their district with 8-5 record and secured their third place finish with a 7-5 tiebreaker win against Tidehaven.

Yoakum has made the playoffs four of the last five seasons and this a playoff rematch from two season ago against the Lady Mustangs.

The Lady Mustangs met in the Lady Bulldogs in the 2022 area round and Yoakum swept them in two games.

The two teams will meet for the second time in the playoffs Friday, April 26, in Flatonia for the first round of the 3A UIL Softball playoffs.