The San Benito Lady ’Hounds are preparing for another exciting softball season, this time in the unfamiliar but not uncharted waters of District 31-5A. (Staff photo by Francisco E. Jimenez)
Special to the NEWS
One of the annual rites of spring in San Benito is here: Lady ’Hound Softball.
The curtain on the 2013 season lifts Tuesday night when the girls go to McAllen Memorial in what is not only Opening Night, but the District 31-5A league opener as well.
Veteran skipper Elias Martinez is back for his 15th season at the helm and is excited about the prospects of the new season.
“Lady ’Hound Softball always has high expectations,” he said. “That’s what makes it exciting. We’ve got great fans and tremendous support from the administration and the community. We’re excited to start the season.”
San Benito brings back a host of players who got experience last year as youngsters around ace Amber Jasso. A year after advancing further than any other Valley softball team had before, the Lady ’Hounds finished as District 32-5A co-champs and held a 24-4 overall record. Still, the Ladies exited from the playoffs rather early, at least per San Benito standards, as they fell to Harlingen South in the bi-district round.
But the girls are back and ready to atone for last year by going on another deep playoff run.
Along with Jasso, back this year are OF Dorothy Millan, 1B Jackie Elizondo, INF Ja’Vanna Gonzales, INF Clarissa Huerta, INF Allie Huerta, 2B Mel Gonzalez, OF Mel Ramirez, pitcher Crystal Castillo and DP Courtney Vasquez. All of the players saw action last year and Gonzales, Allie Huerta, Mel Gonzalez and Castillo are all sophomores.
As usual, expect at least 1-2 freshmen to make the club.
“We’ve got some girls we’re looking at,” Martinez said.
But while the freshmen will have to get up to speed, so will the returnees. Many of them were in the same boat a year ago and will have to get back to the level they found during their freshman seasons.
“Right now, we’re gonna be very young,” Martinez said. “We’ve got our girls from basketball with us now, which is good. Once everybody starts maturing and once we get that rust off and get to the varsity level, we’re gonna be pretty salty.”
Even Jasso, who took the Valley softball world by storm two years ago, has a bit of work to do. Her sophomore season was dented by an injury and while still one of the best in the area, was not able to recapture the dominance of 2011.
She’s once again getting over an injury, but Martinez says the physical setbacks have made Jasso, now a junior, stronger.
“The thing about Amber going through these injuries is that it’s made her stronger mentally,” Martinez said. “It’ll take a little time to get back to where she was. But she’s mentally tough and as a pitcher, you’ve gotta have that. She’s coming around and is almost at top form.”
The Lady ’Hounds will have new district opponents in McHi, McAllen Rowe, McAllen Memorial, PSJA, PSJA North, PSJA Memorial and Weslaco East along with former 32-5A district foe Weslaco. McHi, Rowe and Weslaco are predicted by many to be among the Valley’s best clubs.
The district fields some of the Valley’s top pitching talent and Martinez knows it will be a much different challenge than years past.
“It’s a new challenge because we haven’t really played these guys, except for maybe a few tournaments,” he said. “It’s definitely gonna be different because we don’t know them. We’ve got the cream of the crop in this district, but our girls are working hard and it’s gonna be exciting.”
The Lady ’Hounds will go to the annual Mission Fastpitch Festival next weekend and their home opener is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19 against PSJA Memorial.
Read this story in the Feb. 10 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
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