The chilly breeze is in the air as the crowd huddles under blankets, watching Coppell sophomore left fielder Courtney Hargrove score at the Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex. The third inning had just started for Coppell, and what seemed like the beginning of a great comeback, before falling short. 

On Wednesday night, the Coppell softball team lost its District 5-6A opener, 6-3, to Hebron. Despite a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Coppell could not sustain its momentum. 

Hebron, behind second baseman Allie Lovitt, scored its first run. By the second inning, Lovitt and Hebron catcher Liz Cardona each scored a run and tied the score, 2-2. 

By the fourth inning, Hebron increased its lead to 6-3. Coppell responded by holding Hebron scoreless the remainder of the game. However, it could not get its offense to produce a comeback.

Despite this loss, Coppell remains strong with its mentality for the rest of the season.  

“We know we’re capable, we know we have the skill,” Coppell coach Emily Witt said. “We know what we’re up against, but also we know that we’re a team that could really catch someone off their guard when we play to our full capabilities.” 

Throughout the night, players wore a hair ribbon with the color that resonates with a cause, ranging from mental health awareness to addiction recovery. Fans huddle with their blankets in the chilly weather watching in support of Coppell’s district opener. 

“We’re playing with a bigger sense of pride.” Witt said. “We saw some emotion after we kind of dropped our first district game, it shows we’re really passionate. It shows that we really care.” 

Coppell plays Little Elm on Tuesday at the Coppell ISD Baseball/Softball Complex. Follow @thesidekickcoppell on Instagram and @SidekickSports on X for future live coverage.