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.

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