SAN ANGELO — Just as its first playoff opponent, Clyde-Eula did, No. 9 ranked Eldorado jumped out to an early lead over Forsan on Thursday at Lake View High School.
The Lady Eagles scored two runs in the bottom of the first after a pair of base hits and a couple of errors were committed by the Lady Buffaloes.
"I don't know why we start out that way," FHS Head Coach Shanna Taylor said with a laugh. "It could a be jitters we have to get past. But the girls never seem to get in panic mode."
Part of the reason the Lady Buffs keep their cool comes from high-intensity practices.
ODESSA — An explosive nine-run seventh inning broke a 5-5 tie Monday at Odessa College as Big Spring shelled Fort Stockton, 14-5 to advance to area round of the playoffs.
Offensive output was a concern for BSHS Head Softball Coach John Sparks as he prepared his squad for postseason play, but the Lady Steers responded when it was needed most.
Tied at 1-1 after a RBI double by Mercedes Ruiz sent Ayana Gomez home in the top of the second, Big Spring's lineup took charge in the top of the third.
SAN ANGELO — Head Softball Coach Shanna Taylor has never lost a bi-district playoff round in her tenure as manager at Forsan and Clyde-Eula was unable to change that Saturday, as the Lady Buffaloes routed the Lady Pirates, 13-2.
Eula did give Forsan a little scare in the early going.
A walk, a stolen base and a RBI single gave the Lady Pirates a 1-0 lead they would hold until the top of the third.
LUBBOCK — Big Spring runner Gustavo Lugo will have another chance to win gold at the state meet as he finished in second place in the 3,200 with a time of 10:03.98 at the 3A region I meet at Texas Tech's Fuller Track over the weekend. Lugo also placed fourth in the 1,600. As a team, BSHS placed second in the 1,600. Chris Nunez missed reaching the state finals in discus by less than two feet.
On the girl's side, the Lady Steers placed fifth in the 800 relay.
Big Spring Head Baseball Coach Bert Otto described the Steers' 5-3 win over Wylie on Friday as “icing on the cake” for the five seniors who were honored at Steer Park as they played the final home game of their careers.
Not their final game, however.
The victory guaranteed Big Spring the third District 4-3A playoff seed.
FORSAN — Thursday's game against Winters was basically a tune-up game for Forsan, who had already locked up the No. 2 seed in District 6-1A, defeated the Blizzards 8-2.
Blaise Coffman issued zero walks, didn't give up a run and struck out five in five innings on the mound. Clayton Galloway and Trevor Burchett each saw one inning of work as well.
FORSAN — In the past eight years, the Forsan softball program has been dominant.
Under the tutelage of Head Coach Shanna Taylor, the Lady Buffaloes — who recorded a 12-2 district record — have not only made the playoffs each season, they have not been knocked out until the regional quarterfinal round or later.
After the recent University Interscholastic league realignment, Forsan dropped from Class 2A to 1A — making it an even bigger fish in an even smaller pond. And that's just fine with Taylor, who hopes to take her girls all the way to the state championship in 2013.
COAHOMA — Two things needed to happen for Coahoma to clinch a district title: The Bulldogs had to beat Lamesa — a team which beat CHS the first time around — and Denver City had to be upset by Brownfield.
The Bulldogs came through, defeating Lamesa 18-6, ending the game via run-rule. Then, the Cubs got the best of the Mustangs and Coahoma — a baseball team which didn't win a single game last year — found themselves atop the 4-2A standings.
Having already clinched the Western Junior College Athletic Conference title, Howard College is preparing for the Region V tournament after completing a sweep of Midland College at Foundation Field on Saturday by winning 13-4 and 9-1 in a doubleheader.
Claudette Smith helped the Lady Hawks in their rout of the Lady Chaparrals in Game Three of a four-game stand when she belted a grand slam home run. Smith also had a two-run blast, accounting for six RBI during the outing.
Howard College finished off its sweep of Luna College on Saturday, winning Game Three of the four-game stint, 5-2 and Game Four, 9-0.
Taking all four games was important the Hawks, who are in a bit of uncharted territory.
Howard College's perennially strong baseball program has faced some adversity this year.
With the renovations to the playing surface at Jack Barber Field, the Hawks were forced to play more than 30 games on the road before they enjoyed a home field advantage.
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