Softball team attracts attention at tourney
By Donnie A. Lucas
The Lady Lions won four out of six games at the Stephenville tournament last week, bringing home the second place trophy.
Albany traveled to Anson on Tuesday for a rematch against the Lady Tigers, losing 11-8 to post a record of 8-4 for the season.
The squad will be on the road both Friday and Saturday at the Clifton Tournament, playing three pool games on Friday alone. The opening round is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday against McGregor, with a second game at 3:00 p.m. versus Connally. The third round will be at 4:30 p.m. against Reicher.
Bracket games will be played Saturday.
The Lady Lions aren’t on the books to play again until Friday, March 20 in Snyder at 5:00 p.m.
Albany turned some heads at the Stephenville tournament as the smallest school by far at the event, bringing home the second place finish after a 10-1 loss to Aubrey in the championship round.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the way the girls competed in the tournament,” head softball coach Jimmy Fuentes said. “We were the smallest school there and upset some 3A and 4A schools who on paper we shouldn’t have beat.”
The Albany girls won three of their four pool games to advance into the championship bracket, then edged out Eastland 4-3 to make it to the championship game.
“We played Aubrey, a very tough 4A program, in the last game,” the coach said. “While they beat us, we made them earn everything they got. To even be in that position in such a big tournament was a big accomplishment.”
Sophomore Ana Balliew pitched all six games of the tournament for the Lady Lions.
“Ana had the toughest job having to pitch all six games with little rest,” he said. “She did an outstanding job.”
Tourney Details
The Lady Lions defeated South Hills, 8-0, in the first pool game last Thurday.
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/R/E
ALBANY 1 0 6 1 0 8/8/1
S Hills 0 0 0 0 0 0/1/1
INDIVIDUAL STATS
H Cox 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 2 RBIs
C Holson 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 1 RBI
A Balliew 1 for 4, 1 dbl
E Hebel 2 for 3, 1 dbl, 1 tpl, 2 RBIs
K Browning 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
B Belcher 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
The Lady Lions came out ahead of Krum in the second round, 5-4, also played last Thursday.
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E
ALBANY 0 1 0 4 0 5/5/0
Krum 0 2 2 0 0 4/8/1
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl
E Hebel 1 for 1, 1 HR, 1 RBI
B Belcher 1 for 2, 1 dbl, 2 RBIs
S Hobbs 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
Albany returned on Friday to beat Godley in the third pool game, 6-4.
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 R/H/E
ALBANY 2 0 1 0 3 0 6/6/1
Godley 1 0 2 0 0 1 4/8/1
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 1 for 2, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
C Holson 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
A Balliew 1 for 2, 1 sgl
E Hebel 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 1 RBI
B Belcher 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
The first loss for Albany in the tourney came on Friday against Waco Midway’s JV, 19-5.
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E
ALBANY 1 0 2 0 2 5/7/5
Midway 2 0 1 0 16 19/19/0
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 1 for 3, 1 dbl
H Cox 1 for 2, 1 sgl
C Holson 3 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 1 HR, 3 RBIs
E Hebel 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 2 RBIs
The Lady Lions were paired with Eastland in bracket play on Saturday, beating the Lady Mavs 4-3.
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E
ALBANY 2 0 1 0 1 4/9/1
Eastland 0 0 0 1 2 3/5/0
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
T Fuentes 1 for 3, 1 dbl
C Holson 2 for 3, 2 dbls, 1 RBI
A Balliew 1 for 2, 1 sgl
E Hebel 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
K Browning 1 for 2, 1 sgl
S Hobbs 1 for 3, 1 sgl
While the Lady Lions didn’t score points in the final game against Aubrey, they did get some hits.
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E
ALBANY 0 0 0 0 0 0 x 0/4/2
Aubrey 1 1 2 3 0 3 0 10/11/0
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 1 for 3, 1 sgl
T Fuentes 1 for 3, 1 sgl
H Cox 1 for 3, 1 sgl
E Hebel 1 for 1, 1 sgl
The Lady Lions also posted a win on Feb. 25 against the visiting Cooper JV, 7-5.
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E
ALBANY 0 0 3 2 0 2 x 7/5/2
Cooper 1 0 2 0 0 0 2 5/8/2
INDIVIDUAL STATS
A Moon 2 for 4, 1 sgl, 1 tpl, 1 RBI
C Holson 1 for 3, 1 dbl, 1 RBI
E Hebel 2 for 4, 2 dbls, 2 RBIs
