Published: May 13, 2008 12:44 am            

Switch-hitting standout

By Jason Rollinson

jrollinson@itemonline.com



Whether it’s from the left or right batter’s box, Sara Vaughn loves to make things happen.

The junior shortstop keeps opposing coaches unsure if she’ll try to hit for power from the right side, or seek to get that extra step with a running slash at a shallow-playing third baseman.

“One tournament we were winning by quite a few runs, and I told coach that I wanted to try the left side,” Vaughn said. “I did pretty good, and so we started trying in practice some. It started to progress from there.”

Lady Hornets coach Nancy Hopper gets an unselfish response when deciding which side of the plate she should hit at.

“You can ask her if she’s more comfortable on one side or the other and she’ll say — ‘coach, I just want to go where you want me to go’,” Hopper said. “What a great attitude for an athlete to have! She’s equally effective on both sides of the plate.”

You can expect Vaughn to bat atop the Huntsville Lady Hornets’ lineup this weekend in their Class 4A regional semifinal series against Nederland (25-8-1).

The two teams will meet at Pearland’s Dawson High School beginning with Friday’s game one at 7:30 p.m. and return on Saturday for game two at 5 p.m. with the third to follow, if needed. The winner will advance into the regional finals against either Montgomery or Barbers Hill with a berth to the state tournament on the line.

Vaughn is quite familiar with a deep run in the playoffs as the Lady Hornets (18-15) have managed to pull off this season.

She was the starting second baseman on the 2006 squad which rolled all the way to the Class 5A regional finals before bowing out to eventual state champion Garland.

“Sara came to us her freshman year and started at second base,” Vaughn said. “She was just a great, great second baseman. She’s developed into a better hitter. We lost our shortstop after last year, so we slid her over. She’s done a great job over there. She started out the first part of the season a little uncomfortable and unsure, but that is long gone.”

Her ability to get on base as a leadoff hitter is a big reason why the Lady Hornets were able to overcome the state’s second-ranked team, Brenham in the regional quarterfinals last week.

Vaughn legged out a single to start the game and later came around to score by beating out a throw at the plate. Her one run held up until Huntsville was able to add a second run to its lead in the sixth when Chantel Spretz scored on a missed pop fly.

Vaughn believes the atmosphere of the Nederland series will be more intense this week than last.

“I think it’ll be bigger for us this week than last (against Brenham),” Vaughn said. “There’s more on the line now. We really do want to get to the next level. Our goal is state all the way!”

Vaughn compared the excitement of her freshman and junior years.

“It’s the same this year as it was my freshman year,” Vaughn said. “The intensity is high, and I’m looking forward to another great year.”

The daughter of Greg and Suzann Vaughn is unique in the field as she is the only Lady Hornets player to wear a visor on her head.

“Me and my friend, (former Huntsville softball standout, Caley) Jeter, got them for each other for our birthdays and we’ve worn them ever since,” Vaughn said. “She plays on my tournament team. I always wear one and have for a while.”

Hopper is glad that she has her and several other girls returning on the team next year to make another run at it.

“She’s such a steady player,” Hopper said. “She’s dependable at the plate and defensively. We look for more of the same next year, and I feel like she’ll be even more comfortable because she plays all year.”

The Lady Hornets will conduct three more practices before heading off to Pearland, but don’t expect Hopper to change much.

“We’re going to come out here and go through our routine,” Hopper said. “Part of that is us looking at our hitting and what the opposing pitchers are going to throw.”

The excitement grows each day and each round for Hopper’s young group of girls.

“I guess that each round gets more exciting because we’re still in this thing,” Hopper said. “We don’t talk a lot about being excited. I know the kids are excited; everyone can tell that. They do a good job of talking amongst themselves about it. We just come out and do our business.”

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.