Lady Loboes Play With Some Big Dogs
    By Jessica Ray Staff Writer ~~ The Monahans News, 3/21/07

The Lady Lobo softball team traveled to the Dallas area during spring break for a doubleheader on Wednesday, and the Spring Break Classic tournament through Saturday.  The ladies got a taste of tough competition against some big-city schools, which helped prepare them for district play at home.

In Nevada, Texas Monahans went into a doubleheader against two 3A schools, Community and Commerce High Schools.  The Lady Loboes shutout Community High 10-0 in six innings.  Heather Schuler pitched the game, allowing only three hits and striking put 10  batters.

Commerce High School was shutout in five innings, 11-0. Kaitlin Mitchell pitched the the no-hitter with seven strikeouts.  Monahans had fifteen hits including two homeruns from Mitchell and Dina Ortiz.  Kristi Wilson and Michelle Azuaje were 3-for-3 in stolen bases.

On Thursday in the Spring Break Classic tournament in Arlington, Monahans faced 5A Magnolia.  Monahans was only able to get four hits on Magnolia's pitcher, and was unable to score runs on any of them.  Magnolia scored four runs on only seven hits allowed by Schuler.  While Magnolia struck out eight Lady Loboes, Schuler pitched six strikeouts.

Later Thursday, Monahans had to shake off the 4-0 loss to Magnolia to face 4A Denton Guyer.

Mitchell pitched the Denton Guyer game.  In 17 batters faced, only three hit.  Kellie Almanza and Mitchell each brought in one run off of two of three hits from Ortiz, who doubled in the game.  The two runs were enough to give Monahans a 2-0 win.

Thursday night, Monahans lost 3-2 to 4A Stephenville.

Saturday, Monahans played two 4A schools and 5A Colleyville Heritage.  The Ladies held their own against the larger division schools.

Saturday morning, Monahans played Fossil Ridge High, a 4A school in Keller, Texas.  The pitching from Fossil Ridge was well-matched against Monahans' Schuler.  Fossil Ridge allowed seven hits, three walks, and pitched 11 strikeouts.  Although Fossil Ridge struck out more batters, the Lady Loboes were able to make the hits count and pulled away with a 3-2 lead.

Colleyville Heritage, a division 5A school, scored one run against Monahans at the top of the first inning.  That was the only score in the game, but was enough to send Monahans away with a 1-0 loss to the 5A team.

Joshua High School, a 4A school south of Fort Worth, had Saturday's most solid win against Monahans.  The score remained at zero through the fifth inning. In the sixth, Joshua scored four times, the only runs of the game.

Monahans is back home in preparation for their first district game. The Ladies will host Pecos Tuesday night at 5 pm.