Lady Lions don't need seniors to succeed
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MUNFORD — Varsity softball took place Monday in only one place in Talladega County. That's a feeling that's hard to describe. "Anxious, nervous, breathtaking and everything," Munford junior DeAnna White said. "I feel it in my stomach. It's just one of those things that you only feel in big situations." That "big situation" has occurred because the senior-less Lady Lions simply keep coming through. On Thursday, they'll take on West Blocton at 9 a.m. at Montgomery's Lagoon Park in the Class 3A state tournament. "Can't say it enough," junior pitcher Celeste Goodwin said. "Just being able to go to Montgomery, I've never been before, ever since I've been in high school. It's pretty cool." In fact, no one on the current team has been — Munford's past trip was in 2002, where the defending champs lost out to Gulf Shores (Alabama Christian eventually won the title). "For all of us, it really is a really exciting thing," sophomore Caitlin Coker said. "Especially since we have no seniors, and it's mostly juniors and sophomores on the team. Going to Montgomery is a really big deal." The young first baseman got to play the hero in Friday's Game 3, drilling a two-strike, two-out home run in the top of the seventh. That run wound up being the game-winner in a 4-3 decision against Carbon Hill. "It felt great," said Coker. "It was tied, we were battling the whole game. It came to the end of the game, and it was just the right pitch at the right time." With no seniors and only a handful of upperclassmen, the Lady Lions (25-14) rely mostly on their junior class. During Monday's practice, an observer could watch White – the junior third baseman who had three hits and two RBIs during Friday's series — doling out batting tips to her younger teammates. "I've just been in the situation a lot," she said. "I try to pass on what I know to the younger ones who haven't been here a lot." Goodwin has also risen to the occasion twice during the playoffs – the Lady Lions dropped extra-inning decisions during sets against Good Hope and Carbon Hill, only to bounce back with one-run wins. During Friday's set, Goodwin tossed a five-hit shutout for a 9-0 win to keep her team alive. "We just know what we have to do and do it," she said. "We want to keep going; we have a good team, and there's no reason to give up when we lose. "I think we just picked up our bats a lot more (Friday). I had my defense behind me." The 2008 tournament field includes the likes of defending champ Leeds, as well as some other programs with strong traditions. "I guess it's a do-or-die thing," said White. "It's one of those things where you know if you don't win, you're going home and it's over with. You know you have to win, you have to let it go. "I expect to win. That's what everybody expects, right? I'm just preparing myself to win." Class 1AThursday's games • G1: Hubbertville vs. Lynn, 9 a.m. Friday's game • Championship: G5 winner vs. G6 winner, 9 a.m. Class 2AFriday's games • G1: G.W. Long vs. Ranburne, 9 a.m. Saturday's game • Championship: G5 winner vs. G6 winner, 10:30 a.m. Class 3AThursday's games • G1: West Blocton vs. Munford, 9 a.m. Friday's game • Championship: G5 winner vs. G6 winner, 9 a.m. Class 3AFriday's games • G1: Alabama Christian vs. Alexandria, 10:30 a.m. Saturday's game • Championship: G5 winner vs. G6 winner, 10:30 a.m. |
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