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Ladycats fall to Sam Houston in Bi-District

From the Lake Charles American Press

By Tensey Pricer

MOSS BLUFF -- For one inning, the first no less, Sam Houston put its offensive struggles behind it and looked like a team eager to defend its Class 4A state championship.

The rest of the game, well ....

Nevertheless, the Lady Broncos advanced to the second round by scoring all of its runs in the opening frame of an 8-0 victory over wild-card Abbeville here Tuesday.

The Lady Broncos batted around in the bottom of the first inning as they garnered five of their nine hits. Krystal Bradshaw reached on an error, Jenny LeFranc singled and Beth Jordan drew a walk before Megan Baham belted a double to left to clear the bases.

It was just the beginning. And a pleasant surprise.

"Unusual," Sam Houston coach Michelle Trahan playfully called it. But there was a reason.

"I'm happy for the kids," she added. "All week we talked about the mental approach of the game, how to go in with confidence and how important it was to jumping on them (offensively)."

Sam Houston did just that. And though it left eight runners on base and got only four hits the other five innings, the Lady Broncos (20-5) play Tioga, a 5-3 winner over Chalmette, in the second round. That game will be in Moss Bluff.

Baham (17-3), a sophomore pitcher, scattered five hits, struck out six and walked one in winning her sixth consecutive playoff game. She went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and had five assists.

The Lady Wildcats (18-12) never recovered from the first inning, stranding five runners, including four on second or third.

"We showed a lot of our inexperience in that first inning," Abbeville coach Mark Suire said, referring to a pair of errors that contributed to the early onslaught. "Last year we had eight seniors who made a lot of plays for me.

"Overall I was pleased. We forced them to make plays and they made them. We just didn't make the plays."

Sam Houston's defense played error-free. Baham's pitches were often tough to get around on for Abbeville, so the bulk of the plays were to the right side of the field where second baseman Jenny LeFranc and first baseman Beth Jordan were airtight.

In the top of the sixth, Abbeville catcher Amanda Ledet had a sharply hit shot bounce off the glove of Jordan, but LeFranc backed her up perfectly and made the throw to Jordan at first for the third out of the inning with a pair of runners on.

"Our defense is known for making plays," said Baham. "It's expected."

One highlight for Abbeville was the play of third baseman Ashley Landry, a junior who routinely made outstanding plays. Her most impressive effort didn't even register an out. She knocked down a line drive, scrambled to get the ball and fired a bullet to first, which was narrowly late.

"She's the best third baseman I have ever seen," Suire said proudly.



2001 District 5-4A Standings