State Final Showdown
Shiner faces familiar foe in Bosqueville
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Coy Slavik - Victoria Advocate Sports Editor
VictoriaAdvocate.com Article | Shiner Lady Comanche Softball | Return to Shiner Home Page
AUSTIN - Shiner coach Brandon Siegel and Bosqueville coach Clint Zander didn't need any detailed scouting reports of each others' softball teams for today's Class 1A state championship game.
The Shiner Lady Comanches are hoping to celebrate a state championship today as they face Bosqueville in the Class 1A title game in Austin at 8:30 a.m. The two teams met in the playoffs last season, with Shiner coming away with a 6-3 win in the 2006 regional finals. photo by Harry Reese, Special to the Advocate
The Lady Comanches and Lady Bulldogs met in last year's Region IV final with Shiner taking a 6-3 victory in the one-game playoff and earning a berth to the state tournament.
Since both teams have virtually everyone back from last year, today's 8:30 a.m. final at McCombs Field will be a matchup of two teams that are very familiar with each other.
"They're pretty much the same team they were last year," said Siegel, whose Lady Comanches advanced to the final with a 3-0 semifinal victory over McLeod. "They're still a great ball club."
"They haven't changed a whole lot and we haven't changed a whole lot," Zander said after Thursday's 6-0 semifinal win over Seymour. "It was a pretty good game last year. Hopefully, we can come out and make it another good one Saturday."
Shiner (22-6-1) and Bosqueville (25-7) reached today's final after receiving dominant performances from their sophomore pitchers in the semifinals. Heather Haas, who will take a 21-6 record into today's game, blanked McLeod on a one- hitter and Michelle Miller (13-6) scattered four hits in shutting out Seymour. Bosqueville could start junior Ashley Barnes (10-1) today.
"We have to hit the ball like we're capable of and capitalize on any mistakes they make," Siegel said. "It will take everything we can do to execute and make the plays to win."
"They're quick and they put the ball in play" Shiner first baseman Taylor Hajek said. "We're just going to have to play without errors and play our game instead of theirs."
Zander was impressed with Haas' one-hitter against McLeod and said his team will have to be selective at the plate.
"We have to swing at strikes," Zander said. "We've got to get some consecutive hits to score some runs."
Zander said the Lady Bulldogs hoped to get another shot at Shiner after they saw the Lady Comanches had made the state tournament.
"The girls have been talking about playing them again since both of us got here," Zander said. "I think they're ready and hopefully pretty confident."
Siegel said the Lady Comanches, who were ousted in the semifinals of last year's tournament, won't require a pep talk before today's game.
"I think the game itself will be all the motivation they need," Siegel said.
Sophomore center fielder Ieisha Flowers agreed.
"We want to win especially after last year when we were a first-round knockout," Flowers said. "We want to take it all this year."
NOTES: Shiner defeated Bosqueville 11-1 in five innings in the 2002 final. ... Only Coahoma (9) has made more state tournament appearances than Shiner (7). ... The Lady Bulldogs have one of the state's top shortstops in senior Reagan Feight, who entered the state tournament with a .451 batting average.
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