Lady Mustangs ready to pick up where they left off

By Rick Colegrove

Success breeds success, just like practice makes perfect. These phrases and others like it have been used for years to describe winning programs or attitudes. This year the phrase to describe Hughes Springs Lady Mustang softball might be “strength through adversity” or “pride in preparation.”

The Lady Mustangs are coming off a year when they went to the Regional semifinals, losing a heartbreaker of a series to Pilot Point. That series ended a season for Hughes Springs that really isn’t seen as all that much in terms of softball. But another phrase comes to mind: “Times, they are a changing.” After posting a 24-5 record on the year, this year’s team returns loaded, and ready to push past the regional semifinals all the way to the state tournament in Austin in early June.

Returning for her senior year is Bailey Tenbrook, who plays first base. She also brings lumber to the plate, as she had 7 HR last year with 29 RBI. Her post season accolades were as follows: She was the Second Team All-District First Base, and East Texas Varsity Best Preps First Team at first, as well. She was First Team All-Area in the Texarkana Gazette. According to Coach Tisha Thompson, Tenbrook also received honorable mention all-state catcher, although Thompson admits she is not sure how she got that. Returning to Tenbrook’s right, at second base, is standout Hailey Wilson. Wilson was First Team All-District at second base and Third Team All- State, as well. She had a season average of .375 and piled on nine doubles and three HR’s to go with 27 RBI. Coming back for another year at the hot corner, or third base, is Kensley Echols. She was honorable mention All- District, and had a season average of .300, with 13 RBI and six doubles. Sophomore Kennedi Northam returns behind the plate, as an honorable mention at the catcher position. Northam also brings a big stick, with a .380 average to go with 14 RBI on the year.

The spark plug for the Lady Mustangs is speedster, and future Red Raider, sophomore Peyton Blythe. She will again patrol the outfield for Hughes Springs, and brings with her a ton of off-season hardware. Her stats speak just as loud as the accolades the young lady received. Blythe on the year had an eye-popping .554 average, to go with 28 stolen bases, and 29 RBI. Blythe was First Team All-District outfield, First Team All-State outfield, ETSN.FM softball Super Team newcomer of the year, and the Texarkana Gazette all-area newcomer of the year.

According to Coach Thompson, with 6 to 7 returning starters from last year’s team, “We should pick up right where we left off defensively and should be even stronger offensively.” One aspect that Coach T thought might need some work is on the mound. Hughes Springs graduated their workhorse Kaitlyn Morris, and now must turn to new talent, Freshmen Zoe Lanier and Abbye McKinney to fill the void. Coach T hopes that with a lot of preseason innings, she will find a definitive starter by district play.

The ladies kick off the regular season against Gilmer at home on February 16th. Game action starts with the junior varsity taking the field at 5:30.