Ladies blowout Lamesa...
    by Randy Hogan, Staff Writer ~~ The Monahans News ~~ March 18, 2005

Raquel Hawkins finished the game just as she started, striking out the Lamesa side 13-0 rout of the tornadoes Tuesday night.

Hawkins proved to be more than Lamesa batters could handle, chalking up 3 of her 12 strike outs in the top of the first inning and giving the lady Tor's more to think about than the 26 mph wind.

Lamesa Pitcher Mida Dimas sat down the first two MHS batters, before being shelled by the remainder of the Lobo lineup. Heather Schuler started the two out rally with a base on balls.  Raquel Hawkins came to the plate and smashed a big RBI double to the warning track scoring Schuler from first base and mean green found their groove.

Lupe Navarrette hit a stringer past the short stop, giving Monahans runners on the corners. Facing Ashton Jarrett with a 2-2 count, Dimas sailed a wild pitch past the catcher allowing Hawkins to score and advancing Navarrette to second base.  Moving the count to second base.  moving the count to 3-2 on Jarrett, the Lamesa catcher dropped the pitch, allowing Jarrett to board first and Navarrette to move to third on the pass ball.  Jarrett fought back from an 0-2 count to earn the base on balls, giving MHS runners on the corners.

Dina Ortiz stepped to the plate and lifted an RBI bloop single off the handle of the bat to left field scoring Navarrette from third.  Kaitlin Mitchell continued frustrate the Tornado pitcher drawing the third walk of the inning, and loading the bases.  With the pressure on, Dimas recorded a strike out to end the first inning, stranding three Lobo batters.

Trailing 3-0, the Lady Tor's got their first base runner aboard.  Ignoring the stiff wind, Hawkins slammed the door on Lamesa's rally by sitting down the next the batters, running her total to six strikeouts in 2 innings.

The bottom of the second found Schuler at bat once again facing two outs, and this time Heather smashed the ball deep into the left field for a stand up double.  Hawkins picked out her pitch and ripped a base hit, giving the Ladies runners on the corners.  Navarrette sent a grounder past short stop for the second time in the game, and Schuler scored from third base. Jarrett stepped to the plate and sent the pitch right back to Dimas. The pitcher was unable to control the ball and the error was recorded as an E-1. Jarrett went to first, scoring both Hawkins and Navarette. Lamesa ended the inning with a strike out, stranding one runner, but not before the ladies added three more to move the score to 6-0. 

The third inning started with Hawkins picking up her seventh strike out of the night. Anna Gonzales banged a double off of a Hawkins change up pitch to give Lamesa a runner. But that would advance, as Hawkins picked up strike outs eight and nine to end the top half of the inning.

Bailey Marcum beat the throw to first to give The Green a base runner in the bottom of the third. Brianna Chaney put a bunt in play, but the lady Tors could not complete the play giving MHS runners at first and third. Stacie Fuentes drew the walk, and the bases were loaded again. Lamesa settled in and retired the next two batters, leaving three on base for the Loboes.

Lamesa put the first two batters on base in the fourth inning, before the Monahans defense stepped up and stopped the threat. Coach Kinney called her troops together, and The Green got serious.

Leading 6-0, Navarette slapped a base hit over third case as the lead off batter in the bottom of the fourth. Jarrett got on, advancing Navarette to third. Dina Ortiz stepped up and lined a Dimas pitch to the center field for a 2 run RBI double, scoring Navarette and Jarrett. Bailey Marcum put the ball in play with a smash RBI to right field, and when the dust had settled Ortiz had scored and Marcum stood on third base.  

Chaney followed suit and sent an RBI grounder past the short stop. Marcum's run made the score 10-0, and the Ladies were clicking. Facing Fuentes, a Dimas pitch went to the screen and Chaney moved safely over to the second base. Stacie sent a grounder to second allowing Chaney to score. Heather Schuler blasted one down third base, but the fielder made a great play to steal the out.

Raquel Hawkins slapped an RBI single to score Fuentes, giving MHS a 12-0 lead. Navarette picked on the short stop once more, getting on base when the fielder misjudged the fly ball. With two down, Hawkins was on the move and scored easily for the final run of the game for the Loboes.

The top of the fifth inning was merely a formality  for Raquel, as she blasted Lamesa batters Crystal Gonzales, Samantha Johnson and Anna Gonzales in order, bringing her strike out total to twelve for the game.

" I think we played a solid game," Coach Kasey Kinney added." Our moral has been boosted back up after some negative things during spring set us back, and we hit the ball really well. I didn't have a negative thing to say in the huddle after the game. We just came out and performed like I know we can." The Lady Loboes (5-1 district 3-AAA) kick off the second half of District play at Seminole Friday April 1.