Lady Mustangs roll into homestretch of regular season

By Rick Colegrove

Hughes Springs softball is in the home stretch of the regular season. They are also playing some darn good ball right now. At 22-5 on the year, and undefeated in district, the ladies are steamrolling right along. With a single game last week against the Daingerfield Lady Tigers, the Lady Mustangs were able to get in some much needed rest. But first things first, the ladies matched up with Daingerfield on Tuesday and were looking to make a season sweep of the team just to the west of Hughes Springs.

The first meeting between the two teams was a lopsided win for Hughes Springs, by the tune of 14-0. The Lady Mustangs on the year have made it somewhat of a signature to jump out to early leads. The second game with the Lady Tigers followed the script with Hughes Springs jumping on the Daingerfield squad early and didn't let up, winning 11-0 in only 5 innings.

Sometimes on a team that is highlighted with the likes of Bailey Tenbrook, Peyton Blythe, and Haylee Wilson, it's easy to forget that the pitching for Hughes Springs has been rock solid this year. Abbye McKinney and Zoe Lanier combined for a two hitter. Lanier started the game and earned the win. She pitched an efficient 3 innings, needing only 38 pitches with 24 of them being strikes. She had three strikeouts, but only faced 11 hitters. Meanwhile, McKinney went two innings not allowing a hit, while facing six hitters, and striking out one batter.

Kennedi Northam started things off for the ladies driving a pitch to left field for a double. She was not on second base long before Tenbrook brought her in with a double to left as well. Shelbie Fickling got in the double action in the first inning, as she brought in Tenbrook with a double to center, making 2-0 very quickly, and Kensley Echols made it to first base on an error. Fickling, Echols and Charlie Mae Reeves all were able to score in the first inning, to make it 5-0.

Being in a district where 5 of the 8 games have been run ruled, the ladies haven't been pushed or threatened according to Coach Thompson. But she also added, "We played a very tough preseason to prepare us".

The ladies approach each game with a work like attitude and it translates to the results. With Blythe and Northam at the top of the lineup, they are a force that other teams will need to contend with come playoff time. There isn’t a spot in the lineup to catch your breath either. The Lady Mustangs have a #9 hitter that has a season average of .315, and her name is Abbye McKinney. She has 20 runs batted in on the year, and has scored 31 runs.

Not to be outdone though, the number six hitter, Kensley Echols, totes a .328 average on the year, and has 17 RBI's on the year, and has scored 16 runs. Top to bottom, the line-up is formidable.

But the lynch-pins for Hughes Springs are the names we all know, Blythe, Tenbrook, Northam, Wilson, and Fickling. In order, they have these eye popping averages to date.

Blythe has an average that would make Rod Carew envy. Hurry kids, ask your parents who that is. Her average of .556 leads the team, with Tenbrook hot on her heels with a .529 average. Northam is at .450 and Wilson is close behind her with a .425 average. Fickling joins the 400 club as well, with a .431 average and has 15 RBI's and 11 runs scored on the year. Blythe leads the team in runs scored with 45, while Tenbrook leads with RBI's at 30. Tenbrook and Blythe are tied with team lead in home runs with 4 each, while Wilson leads in the doubles category with 11. McKinney and Blythe have 2 triples a piece on the year also.

All in all, the ladies are a team effort and have their sights set on a deep run in the playoffs. With a great mix of speed and power, along with the flame-throwing pitchers, the Hughes Springs ladies are primed for great things.