By Thomas Sellers Jr.
In recent years the Houston Lady Mustangs and Munford Lady Cougars have been regular participants in Class 3A Softball Sectionals. So, some were calling the match up April 7 at the Munford Softball Field a possible Sub-State preview. Munford Head Coach Glenn Goulder had the game against Houston in proper perspective. “Coach Goulder said this was a very important game and that it would matter and it would show later,” Lady Cougar junior Maddison Welch said. The Lady Cougars’ business-like approach paid off against a competitive Houston squad holding on to win 7-3. Munford broke a 3-3 deadlock in the fifth when slugger Jodie Duncan crushed an RBI double to score fellow senior Courtney Bonaiuto Munford added three more runs in the sixth inning for more insurance. Bonaiuto was the spark plug again starting a two-out rally with a slap single in the infield. Welch was the next batter and reached first base with Bonaiuto racing to third. That situation inspired Goulder to make a double steal call. With Welch trying to entice a throw to second base from Houston, the junior speedster stopped close the second base bag. “I wanted her to throw the ball so Courtney would get home,” Welch recalled. “I wanted to get into a pickle.” Welch forced the rundown and Bonaiuto took off toward home plate. She scored to make the tally 5-3. Moments later Welch scored and the seventh run came courtesy of another Duncan double. The two-bagger drove in her teammate Tori Ray. “The bat is starting to wake up thankfully,” Duncan said. “It started off slow but it’s getting there.” Munford ace Sam Scott shut down Houston in the seventh inning to preserve the victory. The Lady Cougars started their journey toward a win over the Lady Mustangs with Ray in the pitching circle. Ray held Houston scoreless as Munford build a 3-0 lead in the first three innings. Scott made it 1-0 after reaching base with a double. Then a double steal allowed her to cross home plate. Munford added two more runs in the third inning with Duncan driving in a run and Peyton Joyner stroking a single for an RBI. Houston rallied to tie the contest at 3-3 with a run in the fourth inning and a pair of RBIs in the fifth inning. Then Munford displayed championship form with timely pitching, defense and hitting. “I think they’re heading in the right direction,” Welch said. “First, we were not getting bunts down. We weren’t hitting at all and the bunts were getting laid down occasionally.”
“We’re starting to work hard and everything is coming around,” Duncan added. “Everybody is helping each other out. We talking to each other telling where pitches are and building confidence before they step into the box.”
