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Gunning for No. 1: Lovejoy eyeing upset of Lamar
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@acnpapers.com
Lovejoy softball knows the No. 1 team in the state can be beaten.
After all, it happened to the Lady Leopards last season.
Lovejoy is trying to turn the tables on that formula in 2011 and got off to a good start Tuesday as the Lady Leopards upended defending Class 3A State Champion and top-ranked Paris North Lamar, 6-2, in the opener of their best-of-3 regional semifinal series.
Lovejoy took a 1-0 lead in the first inning Tuesday. That remained the score until the sixth when sophomore Ginger Hervey, junior Annie Frye and sophomore Sammy Curry loaded the bases. Junior Brooke Puckett pushed a run across with a single, but the big shot came from Brittany Lewis. The sophomore, who also was the winning pitcher, belted a grand slam in that same frame to make it 6-0 Lovejoy.
Lamar came back to score twice after that, but Lovejoy still emerged from the series-opening road game with a 6-2 win and 1-0 series lead.
The series now shifts as the Lady Leopards host Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
“It’s going to be great having the home crowd,” Douglas said. “It will mean a lot to the girls to play on their home field and hopefully it will pump them up.”
Game 3, if necessary, is set for 2 p.m. Saturday with the game taking place at Rockwall if there is no rain and Prosper if there is rain.
“These girls are relaxed and confident,” Douglas said, “but they know no series is over till it’s over.”
Lovejoy sweeps Pilot Point
Tuesday’s win was the fourth straight of the postseason for Lovejoy.
The third came Friday night as the Lady Leopards finished a sweep of their regional quarterfinal series with a 6-3 win over Pilot Point. That win put Lovejoy into the fourth round of the playoffs for a second straight season.
“The girls are super excited,” Douglas said. “They set a goal of matching or surpassing how far last year’s team got. A lot of people didn’t think they could do it, but they have just come out and taken care of business. I am so proud of what they’ve done so far.”
Home runs were big for Lovejoy Friday as well.
It was scoreless in the fourth when Lovejoy got going with a double from Hervey and walk to Frye. Sophomore Sammi Curry was up next and she could have bunted the runners over, but instead swung away and the result was immediate as she smacked a three-run shot over the fence.
“That was huge in terms of getting us runs,” Douglas said, “but it also gave our team some excitement and hitting is contagious.”
A double to the fence from Puckett eventually made it 4-0.
“That’s when we felt a bit more relaxed,” Douglas said. “With the way Brittany was pitching and the way the defense was playing, we felt comfortable. We weren’t going to lose on one swing after that.”
After Pilot Point got on the board via error, Lovejoy went on the attack again. The team picked up two more runs, including a solo homer from sophomore Amanda Gray to make it 6-1. Pilot Point attempted a comeback, with Abby Watson providing a two-run homer, but it wasn’t enough as Lovejoy registered the 6-3 win.
The celebration that ensued was rather muted.
“We are definitely excited, but still very focused,” Douglas said. “These girls don’t let emotions get to them and they feel like we aren’t done yet. We want to win a state title and our girls know we are talented enough to do it.”
A win Friday or Saturday would get Lovejoy softball closer than ever to that goal.
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