LHS softball team must win out to make playoffs

Left: LHS second baseman Taryn Brown completes the front end of a successful double play Tuesday night in a 12-0 loss to Dripping Springs. Right: First baseman Taylor Holloman receives the throw to complete the twin killing.

When the Lampasas High School softball players take the field tonight against Marble Falls, they will have more than simply revenge on their minds.

The 4-3, last-at-bat road loss to the Lady Mustangs on March 11 is only part of what will motivate the Lady Badgers (3-6 in District 25- 4A) tonight on their home diamond.

The players also know anything other than wins from here on out will leave them sitting home during the playoffs.

"I've gone over just about every possible scenario, and if we win out, we're in the playoffs," LHS head coach Chris Gaffney said.

"Of course, that's also going on the assumption that nobody beats (first- and second-place) Dripping Springs and Vista Ridge."

First-place Dripping Springs (9- 0) put the Lady Badgers in this position with a 12-0 win at Lady Badger Field on Tuesday. Lady Tiger ace Paige Sandahl tossed a six-inning no-hitter and struck out 12 to keep her team a game ahead of second place Vista Ridge (8-1).

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Lake Travis' upset of third-place Pflugerville Hendrickson (5-4) on Tuesday kept the Lady Badgers' alive.

LHS has Marble Falls, Burnet, Lake Travis, Pflugerville Connally and Hendrickson remaining on the schedule. It is 3-2 against those teams this year.

The Lady Badgers beat Burnet, Lake Travis and Hendrickson in the first half of the district loop and lost to Marble Falls and Connaly. Both losses were on the road.

"We talked to the girls, and we were very specific about what we have to do to get into the playoffs," Gaffney said. "Now, I think they get it."

The team also gets that everything starts tonight. The winner of tonight's game remains in the race with Hendrickson for third, and the loser is all but out.

"This is a game they're pretty hungry for," the coach said. "We feel like we let one get away from us at Marble Falls, and the girls want a chance to prove it. We also understand that we have to win out, but we can't do that if we start looking ahead of the team we're playing each night."