Hughes Springs wins area championship

By Rick Colegrove

It is said that in the playoffs that the good teams tend to separate themselves from the pack. Well it can also be said that a great team can take a good team’s best punch and get right back up.

The Hughes Springs Lady Mustangs took a couple shots Friday night, but delivered their own knockout punch Saturday afternoon and left no doubt, advancing to the regional quarterfinals, winning, Friday 13-10 and Saturday 12-0.

Friday night, the lady Mustangs found themselves down on three different occasions, but kept fighting and pulled off a thrilling victory in front of a capacity crowd. Zoe Lanier took to the mound, and was pitching a solid game until she was caught with a line drive shot on the hip. Lanier was relieved by Abbye McKinney.

Before Lanier came out though, she was able to field the ball and make the out to end the inning. Between the two, they were able to strike-out eight batters, and only allowed four earned runs. McKinney had five K’s in the win, but she also was a monster at the plate, going three for four with two hits hitting the center field wall they were so well hit. She had four RBI’s on the night and had one run scored. Charlie Mae Reeves was one for two with three runs scored and one RBI.

The ladies were hampered by five errors in the game, but they did not hang their heads or get down. Instead, they battled the whole game. With Hughes Springs down 10-9 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the ladies again came back and Katelyn Roth was able to plate the thirteenth and final run, to allow the ladies to take a 1-0 advantage in the best of three series. In the game, Haylee Wilson scored two runs and had one RBI on a three for four night, having one double and two singles.

Saturday came, and a road trip to Van Alystne was in the offing. After a two and a half hour drive, Hughes Springs fans were treated to a sunny and pleasant day for playoff softball.

Those in attendance were also able to witness a team effort win, with Peyton Blythe starting off the offensive onslaught with an inside the park home run. Although officially it was scored as a triple and an error, she set the tone and players and fans alike, knew there would be more to come from them lady Mustangs. There were many stars on the day with Charlie Mae Reeves having an inside the park home run as well. She was only credited with three singles, going three for four and having two RBI’s and two runs scored. But with an error on her inside the park home run, it gave Hughes Springs two for the game. Shelbie Fickling was three for thee on the day, with two singles and a double. She was on the base paths most of the day, as was Haylee Wilson, who was two for three with two singles and three runs scored.

The ladies didn’t want any question as to what the outcome would be on this day, as Abbye McKinney took to the mound and shut down the Lady Panthers from Van Alystne, allowing only three hits and two base on balls, while striking out two.

Next up for the area champion Lady Mustangs is a match-up with the Redwater Lady Dragons. It will be a best of three series, with the first game being Thursday evening in Longview at 7 p.m. The second game will be Friday at 7 p.m. as well. If necessary, a third game would be Saturday at 2 p.m. All games will be played at Pine Tree in Longview.