Kat Strickland attempts to complete an in-the-park home run as the three players who recorded runs off her hit watch on. The junior was called out, but the three-RBI play sparked the Lady Badgers, who went on to defeat Lake Travis 10-1. PHOTO BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Very briefly, Lake Travis made the Lady Badgers question themselves.

But a barrage of second-inning hits punctuated by Madison Morris’ home run erased any doubts the Lady Badgers deserve to be district champions.

After allowing an early run and then leaving three stranded on base to end the first inning, Lampasas found itself in an unfamiliar position: behind.

For the first time in District 25- 4A play, the Lady Badgers were playing catch-up, but the team responded quickly.

Junior pitcher Taylor Holloman struck out two of the next three batters to set the stage for a fivehit, seven-run outburst that put Lampasas in the driver’s seat as it clinched the district championship with a 10-1 home victory Tuesday evening.

Hutto can still tie Lampasas in the record book if it wins out and the Lady Badgers lose their final two games, but Lampasas holds the head-to-head advantage after sweeping the season series.

While the win locked up the title with two games remaining, this was not the time to celebrate, according to Lampasas head coach Chris Munoz.

“[Winning the district championship] was a big goal for us,” the coach said. “But the [main] goal is to go 10-0, not just clinch, but to go 10-0.

“I told these girls we had a sluggish start, but we did jump on them.”

Junior Kallen Vann got the rally started by delivering a base-hit RBI to bring home catcher Kady Crow and tie the game at 1-1.

Two more runs scored off the following Lady Badger at bat before second baseman Marisa Bogart used a single to load the bases.

With a deep shot to center field, Kat Strickland drove home three runs and was attempting to record an inside-the-park home run, but she was called out in a controversial call at the plate.

“I saw her there safe underneath [the tag],” Munoz said of Strickland’s slide. “I knew she was [safe]. I went and talked to the umpire, and he said, ‘No, Coach. I saw it all.’

“I saw her beat the throw, and I saw the catcher bobbling the ball, but it’s just one of those things. Sometimes you get calls like that, and sometimes you don’t.”

Although Strickland was called out, her play gave Lampasas (19-8, 8-0 district) a five-run advantage at 6-1.

With the bases cleared, junior first baseman Morris stepped to the plate and became the fourth Lady Badger to hit a home run this season by sending the ball over the left-field wall.

“I was proud of her for hitting that,” Munoz said. “I know she has been wanting that for a long time now.”

Lampasas ended the inning up 7-1, which allowed Holloman to take over the game.

The southpaw struck out eight batters over the final five innings, giving her 10 for the game, and allowed the Lady Cavs (3-5 district) just four hits.

Lampasas added three more runs in the fifth inning to secure the victory and the title.

The Lady Badgers will look to continue their trek toward an undefeated district record tonight at 7 p.m. at Marble Falls (4-4 district) before wrapping up the regular season Tuesday when they host Killeen.