Trojans toward sectional

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

If the Charles Henderson Lady Trojans softball team needed any type of jump start heading into the Sectional Tournament this weekend, they got it facing a tough Trinity ball club Tuesday.

The tension was high in the stands and in the dugout as the Lady Wildcats pushed CHHS into four extra innings of softball and threatened in almost every inning to score the go-ahead run.

The Lady Trojans buckled down and played tough, however, as CHHS head coach Steve Haug watched his team follow through on a gut-check and down the Lady Wildcats in 11 innings and just under three hours of play.

"If nothing launches us into the Sectional Tournament this will," Haug said after the game and a big pep talk to his team around the pitchers mound. "That’s hanging in there, playing tough and winning it in the end. That’s huge for us. Hopefully we can carry it over into Friday’s game."

"It pumps me up and I hope it pumps the team up as individuals and as a whole," junior shortstop Kelly Miller said. "That’s a big game because you had to have your heart in it to play that hard. You had to really dig down and pull something out. We got serious about it really quick there towards the end."

One Lady Trojan that never seemed to waver was ace pitcher Betsy White. She struck out eight through the 11 innings, pitched well over 150 pitches and never lost control against a very good hitting club from Trinity.

After the game White was confident and ready to go out and pitch some more.

"My arm feels fine, I can still pitch five more innings," the senior said smiling. "This is a great game to win because me and their pitcher (Auburn signee Martha Phillips) have been playing together for three or four years. It will always be a battle between me and her."

White also like the fact that CHHS held on and was able to remain sharp throughout the extended contest.

"I really think a win like this pumps us up and gets us ready," White said. "This is a tournament coming up and a game like this shows us that we can endure."

Endurance and momentum are usually the key words you look for in any sport going into the post season, but Haug and the rest of the Lady Trojans know what is waiting for them in Eufaula and they are more than ready.

The Section features CHHS and Eufaula as the top two teams and there is no love loss between them. Haug says this kind of win will help them, but there isn’t any need for motivation when the Lady Trojans take the field against EHS.

"If we win Friday we will more than likely face Eufaula Saturday morning," Haug said. "These girls are going to fuel on that Eufaula game, they won’t need any incentive. That game we played them here last time was a tough game to lose. They’ve been running their mouths about it over there and all that does is add fuel to our fire."