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Garcia has an impressive line of 25-2 with a 1.44 ERA
Originally Appeared on Vype
HOUSTON – Long after the dust had settled and the tears of joy had been wiped away from her cheeks, Aaliyah Garcia was back in the dugout.
Standing at the end of the bench, with a Stim machine hooked up, two bags of ice wrapped around her right shoulder and another bag wrapped around her leg, the Angleton senior pitcher looked like someone who had just come out of a battle.
In a way she did.
A seven-inning, 128-pitch, win-or-go-home fight against a stout Barbers Hill lineup to keep her team's season alive with a trip to Austin on the line, which the Ladycats won 9-8.
"She's been my girl for four years now," Angleton coach Cindy Rubio said with tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm going to be really sad to see her go. She has worked hard for me. She's never complained, she's just gutted up and gone.
"Last year she gave it all she had, and we came up short. For her to go out there and gut it up as much as she did and just give all that grit and determination she has and to be able to come out with the win really seals off her senior year."
Throughout the playoffs, Garcia has been a major force for now-state-bound Angleton.
In nine playoff games, Garcia has gone 8-1, giving up 27 runs on 36 hits, while striking out 69 and walking 17 in 57 innings.
Opponents during the playoffs are batting just .167 against the Georgia Southern signee.
"I think is an accumulation of my whole high school career," Garcia said. "This is my last run. I don't want anything to stop me."
Garcia's strikeout numbers have been impressive, setting down 1.21 per inning and 7.2 per game, while giving up less than two walks per outing.
Another number that stands out are the number of pitches.
The story continues here
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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