Ridge Point softball emphasizes teamwork en route to state tourney
Richard Dean
MISSOURI CITY – Ridge Point has several players that are capable of hitting home runs. But that hasn't been its method of operation in reaching the softball state tournament for the first time.
Egos have been put aside by the Lady Panthers, who in four years of varsity softball competition have won 13 playoff series under Coach James McClanahan.
In reaching a state semifinal game against defending champion Aledo, the Lady Panthers have done it with slap hitters who constantly put the ball in play, keep runners in motion, and put pressure on opposing defenses.
"We all slap, we all hit, we all bunt," said first baseman Brooke Bushman (HBU), who is batting around .400 with three home runs.
Bushman is one of four seniors on the team that have played together since they were 10 years-old. The other four-year starters are center fielder Brianna Nunn (Galveston College), left fielder Leeann Thompson (UT-Tyler) and catcher Morgan Herzog (Texas A&M), the heartbeat of the team and whose freshman sister Makinzy Herzog is 17-4 for the season.
Getting on base has been the key for the 27-6 Lady Panthers, who meet Aledo, which starts eight seniors, on Friday at 9 a.m. in a Class 5A semifinal at McCombs Field in Austin.
"Our big thing this year, we're not trying to hit home runs, we're trying to move runners over, just get on base," said Thompson, who is batting near .300. "We're not being selfish.
"I can go up, and I would want to swing for the fence, but I know Coach gives me that bunting signal, I'm going to bunt."
Makinzy Herzog has four home runs and Nunn has added three, but speed is the trademark of this year's team, which advanced to state by winning two-out-of-three games over District 23-5A rival Santa Fe in which Makinzy Herzog got the win in the Region III-5A final.
"Over the past four years we've had a bunch of talent, and we've had a lot of speed," said Morgan Herzog, the leadoff hitter who is hitting around .600 in the playoffs. "That's kind of a new thing in softball. Speed really gets to you.
"Other teams, they're not used to that. So when they see us, they're like, 'oh my gosh.' They have to adapt to it and they really haven't caught up yet. We have slappers that can swing away, and bunt, and do everything."
In a playoff-series win over Willis, Nunn hit an inside-the-park home run, and third baseman Emily Flores, the only right-handed bat in the starting lineup, hit a conventional home run.
As the playoffs have progressed, Ridge Point has gotten better, winning eight of nine playoff games.
"District was alright, but when playoffs came, we showed up," Thompson said.
This from a team that had to replace seven players from last year's team.
"That was a lot of holes missing because that talent is so hard to replace," Nunn said. "But as the season kept going, my mind kept changing. Now I feel why did I even doubt us?
"We have a bunch of characters on the team and we just get along so well, I guess this is how we got so far."
If the Lady Panthers can win two more games, they'll claim a coveted state championship.
"I've felt good about them all year and I keep telling them, we have to control what we can control," said McClanahan, who won a state title at Elkins in 2004. "And if the kids go out and the mindset's right and they play hard, good things can happen.
"We've got a tough opponent this week – hopefully two opponents this week – we'll go out and play our best and hopefully it will be good enough."
www.chron.com/sports/highschool/article/Ridge-Point-softball-emphasizes-teamwork-en-route-6303202.php