Lady Mustangs end historic season against WC

Van Wade
The Orange Leader

DEER PARK Sat, May 17 2008

— Experience prevailed over youth Friday night as the West Columbia Lady Roughnecks swept the West Orange-Stark Lady Mustangs in the Class 3A Region III area round of the playoffs at Deer Park High School.
The Lady Roughnecks, who have three senior starters off their 2006 3A state championship team, overwhelmed a youthful Lady Mustang group that had just two seniors, taking Game One 8-0 and winning Game Two 9-0.
“Experience definitely was the difference,” WO-S Coach Randy Ragsdale said. “Experience from a state championship never hurts. They were unbelieveable from their hitting to their base running. I’ve seen quickness over the years but I have never seen a team with that much quickness.”
West Columbia (25-8) senior ace Cami Newsome grabbed the complete-game win in Game One while sophomore Shelby Parker pitched the whole game in Game Two to nab that victory. Parker scattered three hits while striking out five and walking one.
WO-S junior Rebekah Ragsdale hurled both games. In Game Two, she struck out six, walked one and allowed 14 hits.
The Lady Mustangs (22-11), who had their best season in school history, placing second in District 21-3A and winning their first-ever playoff series against Shepherd in bidistrict, committed 13 errors in the two games, including eight in Game Two.
In Game Two the Lady Roughnecks scored two runs in the bottom of the first, one off a throwing error and the other on a Natalie Rodriguez single to center.
West Columbia added two runs in the third frame when Shelby Poff scored on an infield single by Kiarra Bonner and Bonner eventually scored on a passed ball.
The Lady Roughnecks tacked on two more runs in the fifth, getting an infield RBI single from Kayla Avirett and a bases-loaded walk issued to Kim Garcia.
West Columbia added three more runs in the sixth, scoring one on an error and back-to-back RBI singles by Natalie Locke, who went 5-for-6 in the series, and drove in five runs and Kasey Shaw.
WO-S almost got on the board in the bottom of the sixth as Britni Revis and Taylor Jaynes connected on back-to-back one-out singles but Parker got out of it by getting Ragsdale and Jennipher Orebo to both fly out.
The Lady Roughnecks used timely hits and Lady Mustang errors to completely control Game One.
West Columbia scored four runs on three hits and took advantage of four WO-S errors in the first inning and tallied four runs in the fifth inning to take Game One 8-0.
Lady Roughneck ace Cami Newsome hurled a complete-game two-hitter, striking out 10 and walking three.
Lady Mustang ace Rebekah Ragsdale absorbed the loss. She allowed seven hits while striking out four and walking four.
Shelby Poff got things going with one out in the bottom of the first with an infield singled and then swiped second and third base. Kiarra Bonner drew a walk. Natalie Rodriguez slapped a single to left to score Poff. Newsome put down a bunt at home plate trying to score Bonner from third but Lady Mustang catcher was awaiting her and tagged her out as it looked like WO-S was going to get out of the inning.
However, Kylie Kotis lifted a flyball to shallow left that was dropped as Rodriguez trotted in to score. Natalie Locke followed with a two-run double down the third-base line.
WO-S threatened in the top of the fourth.
Taylor Jaynes had a leadoff single to left and Ragsdale drew a walk. A Jenniper Orebo groundout moved the runners to second and third. Newsome got out of the inning by fanning both Kristin LeBouef and Lauryn Windham.
In the bottom of the fifth the swift Bonner had an infield single and swiped second and third base and Rodriguez drew a walk. Newsome scored Bonner with an RBI groundout. Kotis then hit a grounder that was mishandled at second that allowed Rodriguez to score. Natalie Locke launched a triple to right to plate Kotis to take it 7-0 lead and she eventually scored on a wild pitch.
WO-S almost got on the board in the sixth.
Ragsdale had a one-out infield single and Orebo reached on an error but Newsome got LeBouef and Windham to fly out.
“Our kids certainly can’t complain about the season,” Ragsdale said. “It’s the best season in WO-S history. I basically told them to keep their heads up, be ready to battle again next year and do even better.”