District goes to Foster in defensive battle
By KRIS BAGLEY sports@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Kris Bagley Don't Challenge The Arm Lindsey Marik keeps her arm warm between innings. She made a great throw against Foster Friday from the right-field corner to third base.

A packed crowd filled the stands for one of the most anticipated softball games of the year at El Campo Friday.

Fans of the Lady 'Birds and Foster Lady Falcons crammed into the bleachers to see two of the state's best teams face off.

Ranked 13 by the Texas Girls Coaches association, Foster moved up to ninth in the standings with a 3-2 win while El Campo remained at 18.

Though it was not a win, El Campo fans got to see an intense game between to very evenly matched opponents.

"I told the girls yesterday after practice, 'This is what you play your whole life for - to have the opportunity to play in a game like this,'" Head Coach Shane Wagner said. "It lived up to its billing and had a great crowd on both sides. We had a great crowd, they had a great crowd and I think they saw a great game tonight."

The first four innings were filled with great defensive plays by both squads.

L-N Photo by Kris Bagley Anna's Got Her Anna Raun tags out a runner at third early in Friday's game with Foster. Raun was on the receiving end of a throw by Lindsey Marik later in the game. Much like this play, Raun tagged the runner out for a great play.

El Campo's second baseman, Gabby Macias, was in on several as were shortstop Brittney Oates, center fielder Danielle Smith and first baseman Kristi Michaelsen, but the play of the game went to Lindsey Marik in right field.

Foster was threatening with a runner on first and two outs in the top of the fourth when the Lady Falcons came up with a great hit.

In the fourth at-bat of the inning, Foster sent a line drive deep into the right-field corner for a possible score. Marik chased the ball down and relayed quickly to the infield.

Instead of taking the hit and waiting for an out in the next at-bat, Marik saw her chance at an out on that play. She fired the ball across the field to third base perfectly to Anna Raun.

Raun made the tag and got Foster's base runner for the third out and ended the inning.

Throughout the year, El Campo's defense has anchored each win of their 19-6 season.

"We work hard," Wagner said. "We spend two hours a day practicing. A lot of people do about 75 percent hitting, but we do 50-50. We spend an hour a day going over defensive situations and everything else.

"I put them in the worst situations possible and they do get mad at me in practice for doing that to them. That's my philosophy - defense comes first. Hopefully, we can get a run across to help us out."

Foster made a breakthrough in the top of the fifth for the first run of the game and took a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Falcons added to their lead in the top of the sixth with another run and put the pressure on El Campo with a 2-0 lead.

Fortunately for the Lady 'Birds, they were about to have a huge inning.

Michaelsen led off the inning with a walk and Haley Pierce came in to run for her.

Marik connected for a shot to Foster's shortstop, who made a bad toss to second base. Both of El Campo's runners were safe at first and second base to set up the next batter for a big hit.

Raun hit a slapper to right field and scored Pierce. Her hit put runners on first and second and cut Foster's lead to 2-1.

Angela Fiala made a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position on second and third bases.

Oates struck out in the next at-bat, but did not go back to the dugout. A dropped third strike gave Oates first base.

Foster's catcher picked up the ball and stared down Marik on third base to prevent a run while Oates loaded the bases.

El Campo's cleanup hitter, Alexis Cooper, tied the game on a deep fly ball to left field. Cooper's shot gave Marik plenty of time to tag up for El Campo's second run of the game.

With two outs, Smith almost gave El Campo the lead. She popped up just a few feet in front of the plate, but Foster's fielders were unable to make a play. Raun and Oates both came home, but the ball rolled foul and Smith had to keep swinging.

She ended the at-bat with a ground ball to third base. Smith was thrown out at first, but the Lady 'Birds did their job and tied the game 2-2 with one inning left to play.

The Lady Falcons had a strong seventh inning to answer El Campo's two runs.

The first batter crushed a deep fly ball to center field. It bounced off the top of the fence and back into the field for a double.

The next batter hit a line drive to Macias for the first out, but the next at-bat put Foster in the lead.

A short looper to shallow center field brought in Foster's third run and put the Lady Falcons up 3-2.

El Campo battled to get two outs in the next two at-bats and gave a great effort in the bottom of the inning.

The first two batters struck out before Michaelsen kept El Campo's hopes alive with a single.

Marik followed with a nice hit to Foster's shortstop, but she was thrown out at first to end the game with the Lady Falcons up 3-2. Foster clinched the district championship with the win.

The Lady 'Birds congratulated Foster on the win and met with Wagner in left field for their team meeting.

"I was trying to pump them up," Wagner. "I knew they would hurt because we set our goal of being a district champ this year. A lot of people didn't think we had a shot at it, but these girls believed, I believed and (we were) possibly a couple of bad calls away from having a chance to be district champs. I just told them, 'If you want to make it hurt, let it hurt tonight. When you wake up in the morning, you've got to look at what's ahead.'"

The Lady 'Birds hosted Seven Lakes last night. A win would clinch a playoff spot for El Campo.

LADY 'BIRDS VS. FOSTER