Lady Loboes Add Another Trophy to the Cabinet, Clinch Area Championship in Midland
    By Jessica Ray, Staff Writer ~~ The Monahans News, May 8, 2007

The Lady Lobo softball team took on the Synder Lady Tigers on Friday and Saturday in Midland in the area championship series.  The Synder girls offered some of the best 3A competition the girls had seen all year, but it wasn't enough to end the season for Monahans.

In game one on Friday Synder held a tight defense including a double play that ended the second inning.  With the score tied at nothing in the third, Bertha Felan took a walk to first.  Felan stole her way to third base while Kellie Almanza bunted to first and stole second.  Felan ran home on a base hit from Kaitlin Mitchell, then Kristi Wilson hit Almanza in to bring to score to 2-0.  With the bases loaded by Mitchell, Wilson and Dina Ortiz, Lana Santiago hit a double, good for two runs before Ortiz was called on the third out.

The Lady Tigers tried for a comeback in the fourth when they loaded the bases with two outs.  Monahans pitcher Heather Schuler struck out the third to strand all three runners.

In the bottom of the sixth, Synder's pitcher Devin Davidson gave Schuler a walk to first, Ortiz and Santiago batted next, and were each called out at first, but advanced Schuler to third in the process.  Kristin Littlejohn's hit brought in Schuler for the last run of the game.  The Lady Loboes wrapped up the seventh to end the game 5-0.

In game two on Saturday, the Lady Tigers were clenching teeth and holding on tight to a deadlocked-at-zero game.  In the seventh inning, Synder put two runners on base.  Since it was the bottom, the Lady Loboes wouldn't have a chance to answer if Synder had brought home a runner.  It was a nervous moment for Monahans fans, but the team kept its cool.

"The girls were really focused and very determined.  They weren't nervous.  I called a time out to talk to them mainly to ice the hitter.  I knew my girls were fine because we've been in that type of situation before," said head softball coach David Parker.

His team delivered as expected, and the game went into an extra inning.  First to bat was Marcum, who bunted safely to first.  Mitchell was up next and doubled.  Wilson brought in both runners before being called out at third.

"When Kristi (Wilson) came up to bat with Bailey (Marcum) and Kaitlin (Mitchell) on second, I called time out to talk to her.  I asked her is she wanted to bunt Bailey in or hit her in.  Without hesitation she said "I'll hit her in," and that's what she did.

Later in the lineup, Ortiz scored the third and final run as a result of Schuler's hit.  In the bottom of the eight, Lady Lobo defense made it three up, three down to win the game 3-0, and the series 2-0.

The win sends Monahans into the regional quarterfinals against Levelland, who beat Fabens in the area round.  Earlier this season, the Lady Loboes beat the Loboettes 10-3.  When asked how the win would affect the team's mental preparedness, Coach Parker expressed that his team will have a mental edge.

"We'll go into the game knowing we can beat them.  However I don't think we will be overconfident.  I'm sure Levelland has gotten better since we saw them at the Synder Tournament, but so have we.  I think they will come in a little on edge knowing that we have already beaten them.

"One thing that I see as a huge positive factor for us is that I have six of this year's varsity volleyball players in my lineup.  They know that it is possible to beat a team during the season and lose to them in the playoffs.  I don't think they will allow that to happen to them again."

The game series is scheduled to begin May 12.  The time and location had not been reported as of press time, but details will be available in Friday's edition of The News.

Keyed by Lana S.