Flores selected for TGCA 1A-4A All-Star Game

District 8-4A Pitcher of Year enters senior season with 54 wins, 588 strikeouts

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Julia Flores, the reigning 8-4A district pitcher of the year, has helped Stephenville win its first three contests in the Cross Timbers Summer League that wraps up play this Thursday. || File photo from The Flash Today

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (June 6, 2017) — With a year still remaining, Julia Flores is arguably already the most decorated player in the history of Stephenville softball.

Flores learned Monday she is one of only 28 players selected by the Texas Girls Coaches Association to participate in a 1A-4A all-star game on July 11 in Austin.

“When they narrow it down to 28 players from 1A through 4A and you make that list, that’s pretty special,” said Stephenville head coach Rus Mayes. “It’s exciting for Julia, and it’s another step forward for our program to be represented in a big event. I know Julia will go down there represent everything Stephenville softball is about and make our school and community proud.”

The District 8-4A Pitcher of the Year has been in the circle every significant inning of back-to-back district championships runs, the only such titles in the history of the Honeybee softball program.

She pitched all but 23 total innings this season and that included missing the Region I-4A bi-district series sweep of Springtown, setting up an all-top 10a area-round series against reigning regional champ Brownwood and standout pitcher Cheyanne Ellet. Flores was at her best even with Brownwood advancing, allowing only four runs in 21 innings against a line-up full of veteran players who reached the UIL State Tournament one year prior.

Flores was 22-6, struck out 198 opposing batters and allowed just 133 total walks (21) plus hits (112) over 148.2 innings in the circle. Her earned run average of just 1.88 paired with an offense that produced more than 10 runs per game made for a slew of runaway victories by the Bees, who soared as high as No. 5 in the TGCA 4A state poll, setting a new standard after reaching No. 6 last year.

Flores also played a key role in the offensive success enjoyed by the Bees, leading the team with 11 doubles, driving in the second most runs with 46, tying for second with six home runs and coming in third with a .463 batting average. She helped Stephenville hit a robust. 387 as a team.

“Julia can hurt you in a lot of ways because she can go out there and shut you down so you don’t beat her, then she can grab a bat, step in the box and beat you herself,” said Mayes. “We had a little two game window in the middle of district play where she drove in 11 runs in two games, so she definitely does more than pitch, and I’m glad we get her back here one more year. I wish it was going to be two or three more, because she’s a great one.”

Flores was 21-11 in the circle in the equally historic 2016 season when Stephenville made its first appearance in the regional quarterfinals. She recorded 238 strikeouts in 196.2 innings and finished with a 2.06 ERA. She was also the predominant pitcher as a freshman in 2015. She was 11-12 with 152 strikeouts in 150 innings and her ERA was 3.45.

The career totals for Flores look like this: 54 wins and 29 losses with 588 strikeouts over the course of  495.1 innings.


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