Correction: The Farmers’ Harvest incorrectly reported that an area championship and a trip to regionals would be the furthest an LHS softball team had ever gone in the postseason. The Farmers swept Mansfield this weekend, but new information shows that this was at least the third time a Farmer softball team has advanced to regional play. The newspaper regrets the error.
The softball team has a chance to make history this season and it begins tonight against Mansfield.
The bi-district champions [21-12] are in the area playoffs for the first time since 1997, and if they defeat the Lady Tigers [26-6-1] in the best-of-three series, it will be the furthest a Farmer softball team has ever gone in the playoffs.
Tonight’s game at Killough begins at 7 p.m. Senior shortstop Selena Garcia said Mansfield was similar to LD Bell, whom the Farmers defeated in the bi-district round, but is “a little bit bigger team.”
“They are a solid hitting team, their pitcher is pretty decent,” Garcia said. “We know they cannot hit anything high and off-speed.”
Mansfield pitcher Danielle Hubbard has struck out 135 batters in 149 innings, according to the Sports Day HS website by Dallas Morning News. Mansfield and LHS share two common opponents. Mansfield lost to both Flower Mound and Marcus this season by one run each time. The Farmers have only won one [Flower Mound] of the combined four games they played in district against Flower Mound and Marcus.
Recently injured freshman Maribeth Gorsuch and senior Chloe Campise will be taking turns pitching in the upcoming games. Gorsuch has 188 strikeouts in 134 innings pitched, and Campise has 34 strikeouts in 55 innings.
The Farmers lost the first game to L.D. Bell, but came back and won the series outscoring the Lady Raiders 23-3 in the final two games. In the last game the Farmers run-ruled them, winning the game 14-0 in just five innings, powered by a grand slam by senior catcher Emily Lasky and another homer by junior Miranda Worthington. It was Lasky’s first home run of the season.
“[Run-ruling LD Bell] was huge, it is going to be a confidence builder going into [tonight],” head coach Lori Alexander said. “We are not taking Mansfield lightly, even though they were second place in their district and L.D. Bell was first. I think the Mansfield district is tougher.”
The second game will be held at Mansfield Friday at 7 p.m. If a third game is needed it will be held on Saturday at noon at Colleyville Heritage.
