Lady Lions Headed to State Tourney

Lovelady Powers Past Groveton, 11-2

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

RUSK – To say the Lovelady Lady Lions had been waiting on the moment for a long time would be an understatement. In 2019, the Lady Lions made it to the Regional Finals only to fall to the West Sabine Lady Tigers 6-0 and 2-1. The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 season and in 2021, the Lady Tigers did in the Lovelady by a final score of 2-1 and 6-5.

In 2022, however, the Lady Lions are making history. They were ranked #1 in Class 2A most of the year and entered the playoffs ranked at #5 in the TGCA polls. BY last week they were ranked at #3 and stood on the threshold of the state tournament once again.

Scout Lovell rounds the bases after her first inning bomb gave the Lovelady Lady Lions the early lead.

This time, it wasn’t the West Sabine Lady Tigers that stood in their way, it was a long-time rival for Lovelady – the Groveton Lady Indians. The Lady Lions had taken out the Lady Indians in their best-of-three Regional Finals series in Game One by a score of 5-0.

Game Two was scheduled for Friday afternoon at 2 pm and the earlier start seemed to agree with the Lovelady squad. In the top of the first, Mihyia Davis led-off with an extra-base hit and then Scout Lovell drove a pitch over the left-centerfield wall to stake Lovelady to an early lead.

Linda Martinez fields a bunt from the Groveton batter and prepares to throw to first.

The power surge continued in the next inning when Davis took a pitch over the right-centerfield wall and when Morgan Womack deposited one over the second fence in straight away center, the Lady Lions had given ace Macie LaRue more than enough run support.

LaRue would give up a two-run homer to Groveton’s Abby Lee in the bottom of the sixth, but that was all the Lady Indians could muster as Lovelady cruised to the 11-2 win and into the State Semifinals.

Morgan Womack tees off on her second homer in as many games against the Groveton Lady Indians.

Waiting for the Lady Lions in Austin will be the Stamford Lady Bulldogs, the defending Class 2A State Champions.

Stamford comes into the contest with an overall record of 26-4 while Lovelady sports a mark of 34-4-2. In the May 23 TGCA poll, the Lady Bulldogs were ranked at #2, just of the Lady Lions at #3.

The game was scheduled for 7 pm in Austin on Tuesday, but as of press time a final score was not available.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].

ALL PHOTOS BY JUSTIN DOBBINS