Lady Lions top tough tourney
By Donnie A. Lucas
After a rocky start due to a loss in Anson last week, the Lady Lion softball team turned things around to win the championship game at the Clifton tournament despite being the smallest school entered.
The softball team was off this week for spring break, but is scheduled to be back in action next Friday in Snyder with a 5:00 p.m. first pitch.
Albany opened last week with an 11-8 loss in Anson, but came back to win four of five games in Clifton for the championship.
Ironically, the Lady Lions lost to McGregor, 11-6, in the first round on Friday, but clawed their way back to the champship game, beating McGregor 7-1 on Saturday.
“We didn’t start the week off very well with the loss to Anson where we were just flat and didn’t show up to play,” coach Jimmy Fuentes said. “But we finished the week strong with a really good showing at the Clifton tournament.”
The Lady Lions made the championship game for the second straight tournament, even though they were the smallest school competing.
“I was especially proud of the fact that our kids were motivated to get another shot at McGregor in the championship after losing to them in the first pool game,” Fuentes said. “Ana Balliew had another strong tournament, working batters to hit the pitches she wanted. We played really solid defense behind her.”
The coach commended Elia Hebel, Aubrey Moon, and Caitlyn Holson for dominating at the plate.
“This was a nice way to finishing off a grueling tournament season.”
Albany lost to McGregor 11-6 in the first pool game. The teams were knotted at 6-6 until McGregor scored five runs in the fifth for the win.
LADY LIONS vs McGregor
Pool Game 1
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E
ALBANY 3 3 0 0 x 6/5/4
McGregor 3 0 0 3 5 11/10/0
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 2 runs
T Fuentes 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 2 runs
H Cox 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 run
E Hebel 2 for 3, 1 dbl, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 run
K Browning 1 for 2, 1 sgl
The Lady Lions put away Connally in the second game, 17-0, in just three innings.
LADY LIONS vs connally
pool game 2
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E
ALBANY 4 13 x x x 17/16/0
Connally 0 0 0 x x 0/0/1
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 3 for 3, 1 sgl, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 runs
T Fuentes 2 for 3, 2 sgls, 2 RBIs, 2 runs
A Garcia 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 RBI, 1 run
H Cox 3 for 3, 3 sgls, 3 runs
C Holson 3 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 runs
A Balliew 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 RBI, 1 run
E Hebel 2 for 2, 1 dbl, 1 tpl, 3 runs
K Browning 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 RBI, 1 run
Albany also picked up a pool game against Reicher Catholic School, 17-2, on Friday.
LADY LIONS vs reicher
pool game 3
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E
ALBANY 4 11 2 x x 17/15/1
Reicher 2 0 0 x x 2/6/3
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 tpl, 4 RBIs, 2 runs
T Fuentes 3 for 3, 2 sgls, 1 dbl, 3 RBIs, 3 runs
A Garcia 1 for 3, 1 tpl, 2 runs
H Cox 1 for 1, 1 sgl, 1 RBIs, 3 runs
C Holson 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 3 RBIs, 1 run
A Balliew 1 for 3, 1 dbl, 1 run
E Hebel 3 for 3, 3 dbls, 4 RBIs, 2 runs
K Browning 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 2 runs
S. Hobbs 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 run
The Lady Lions coasted to an easy win over Clifton on Saturday, 7-1, to advance to the championship game.
LADY LIONS vs clifton
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 R/H/E
ALBANY 0 1 3 1 2 x 7/7/0
Clifton 0 0 0 0 1 0 1/5/1
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 1 for 3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 runs
H Cox 1 for 1, 1 sgl, 1 run
C Holson 2 for 3, 2 dbls, 1 RBI, 1 run
A Balliew 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 run
E Hebel 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 2 runs
K Browning 0 for 2, 1 RBI
B Belcher 0 for 2, 1 RBI
The Lady Lions jumped out early in the championship game, scoring four runs in the first inning to dominate the rematch with McGregor for a 7-1 win.
LADY LIONS vs McGregor
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E
ALBANY 4 1 1 1 0 7/9/0
McGregor 0 0 0 1 x 1/4/1
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 1 for 3, 1 dbl, 2 RBIs, 1 run
T Fuentes 0 for 2, 1 run
A Garcia 0 for 3, 1 run
H Cox 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 run
C Holson 2 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 1 RBI, 1 run
A Balliew 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 1 RBI
E Hebel 3 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 2 runs
Even though the Lady Lions scored five runs in the seventh inning, they couldn’t overcome an early lead by Anson on March 3, suffering an 11-8 loss.
LADY LIONS vs anson
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E
ALBANY 0 0 0 2 0 1 5 8/9/4
Anson 1 3 4 3 0 0 x 11/12/4
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 2 for 4, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 2 RBIs, 2 runs
T Fuentes 2 for 4, 2 sgls
A Garcia 1 for 4, 1 sgl, 1 run
H Cox 1 for 4, 1 sgl, 2 runs
C Holson 2 for 4, 2 dbls, 3 RBIs
E Hebel 1 for 3, 1 dbl, 2 runs
K Browning 0 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 run
S Hobbs 1 for 4, 1 sgl, 2 RBIs
