Lady Mustangs earn return trip to State Tournament

By TONI WALKER

The Hughes Springs Lady Mustangs took their next step to returning to Austin on May 24, as they faced off against the New Boston Lady Lions on the campus of Northeast Texas Community College. The two teams had met up twice in the regular season, with Hughes Springs winning both matchups in lopsided fashion, 20-3 and 11-6. Hughes Springs Head Coach Tisha Thompson knew, however, that the playoffs are a new season entirely, and urged her players to play their game.

“We beat them twice during the season, but they have gotten a lot better,” Thompson told her team. “We have to play our game.” Thompson’s team was the “visiting” team, but from the red and black in the crowd, the game had the feel of a home outing. Both teams seemed to allow the jitters to take hold in the first inning, as the highly potent Lady Mustang offense was put down in order by the New Boston pitcher. New Boston did not fare much better, mustering only a double and a walk off of junior starting pitcher Zoe Lanier. Lanier was able to shut the door, inducing a fly ball out to end the threat. Hughes Springs was able to light the scoreboard in the second on a two-run homerun by Pearl Perry, which scored Shea Nelson. Nelson had pinch-run for Marisol Kennedy after Kennedy singled and stole second

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