Lady Raccoons hoping to build on legacy

The longest running playoff streak in Frisco belongs to the Lady Raccoon softball team and the doctresses of the diamond don’t plan on relinquishing the title any time soon.

As the district landscape has changed and teams come and gone, Frisco has managed to avoid rebuilding mode. The program continues to reload and restock its cache from one year to the next.

Four consecutive trips to the postseason have resulted, with a fifth to follow if the Lady Raccoons can play the way they did Tuesday against Liberty. In the first encounter between the two teams, Frisco senior Jeni Olbeter pitched a complete game one-hitter to pace the 7-0 victory. Olbeter, who finished with 15 strikeouts and no walks, was a single batter away from a perfect game. It was eventually broken up in the sixth by Liberty’s Shannon Solomon.

“When she’s hitting her spots and moving the ball around, she’s tough,” Frisco head coach Max Bledsoe said. “She really just dominated them. I hope she can keep that up.”

Unlike many teams, Frisco also has a viable second-in-command in the form of senior Brittnie Dean, who Bledsoe said would primarily be used in the closing role but could start down the line depending on matchups.

Dean’s contributions at the plate may overshadow anything she does in the circle. She belted an RBI double and a two-run homer against Liberty. She also reached on an error and stole second in the fifth inning before being brought home with a two-run bomb by junior Jori Minett. Also lending their services with the lumber were Olbeter, Alicia Zack, Kati Aguirre and Amanda Cave.

Bledsoe was happy to see the sticks in action after McKinney’s Jennifer Gilbert stymied the lineup in a 7-1 victory Monday. The Lady Lions, the only remaining unbeaten in District 9-4A, pulled away with a three-run inside-the-park home run by Gina Guajardo and a three-run triple by Meredith Baker. Not much else separated the two squads.

“We really just had two bad pitches in that game,” Bledsoe said. “The kids all year have been bouncing back when they had their backs against the wall.”

Where Frisco can give opponents fits is with an order that never softens. Freshmen Jennifer Himes and Dominique Templeton bring pop and there is little drop-off at the bottom of the order with seniors Whitney Bledsoe and Rachel Roberts.

“All of them have really contributed this year,” Bledsoe said. “That’s nice when you don’t have a bunch of weak spots in the lineup. I really think anybody in our lineup is capable of helping us out at any time.”

Despite the lopsided loss to McKinney, Frisco very well could be there in the end. The Lady Raccoons have both the talent and experience to challenge for a district championship.

“It comes down to who plays the best defense and has the best pitching,” Bledsoe said. “On any given night we’re capable of playing defense and pitching with anybody.”

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