PREP SOFTBALL | PHS softball places third at tourney

By Ellis Knox | reporter@campcountynow.com

The Pittsburg Lady Pirates competed in the Longview High School Pre-Season Warm-Up Tournament hosted by the Longview Girls’ Softball Association, according to coach Patrick Smith.

Smith said for the past seven years, the City of Longview and the Longview Girls’ Softball Association have hosted a high school pre-season warm-up tournament.  

“The tournament is by invitation only and limited to 40 teams.  Teams participating this year were from Louisiana, Arkansas, East Texas and the DFW Metroplex,” Smith said. ”This event is held each year on the weekend before the official start of the UIL softball season.  This year, the tournament was Jan. 14 and 15, at Lear Park in Longview.  The event allows participating teams to get a head start on the upcoming high school season preparation with volunteer coaches working with the team.”

The coach said members of the team were selected to participate by the volunteer coaching staff.  

“Most of the team was composed of returning players from the 2016 team and some freshmen who will be competing for spots on the 2017 high school team that participated with the team during the 2016 June Summer League,” Smith explained.

Smith was pleased with the team’s play.

“Pittsburg did very well for a team that had not participated together since the 2016 June Summer League season. Pittsburg was placed in the small school division by the tournament director,” he said.
In pool play, The Lady Pirates shutout the Longview JV, 17-0, then blanked West Rusk, 13-0.

In the first game in bracket play, PHS beat Harleton, 5-2, then defeated Cleburne, 6-2. 
The Lady Pirates lost to Elkhart, 4-2, in the third game, but bounced back with a 7-1 win over Mount Vernon.In the final game, Pittsburg and Cleburne tied, 2-2, as the contest was called due to rain and deteriorating field conditions.

“The Lady Pirates were awarded third place due to their head-to-head defeat of Cleburne in our first meeting,”

Smith said. “Prairieland was still undefeated at the time the tournament was canceled and awarded first place.  

Elkhart was the second-place finisher and was awaiting the winner of our game with Cleburne to see who would play against Prairieland for the championship. We were definitely looking forward to a rematch with Elkhart.  

They put us on the losers’ side of the bracket due to some untimely errors.  I feel confident in saying that the Lady Pirates would have had a better outing the second time against Elkhart,” Smith said.

Smith said the Lady Pirates’ pitch was exceptional with Kaycee Parker, Tori Henderson, and Bailey Smith, along with the hitting.

“The Lady Pirates ‘sticks’ were hot for the tournament with a team batting average of .358 for the seven games played,” Smith added.