David Just

Sports Reporter
Sports
david.just@lubbockonline.com

I cover Texas Tech women's basketball and high school softball.

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12 - 5:20am

Joining Tech in Seattle will be 16th-ranked host Washington, Harvard and Maryland.

Tears of joy streamed down Cara Custer’s face Sunday night during the NCAA softball selection show. Texas Tech’s freshman pitcher will get a trip home this weekend, when the 22nd-ranked Red Raiders face Maryland in the Seattle regional. Custer, who came to Lubbock from Spanaway, Wash., a 40-minute drive from Seattle, was ecstatic. “I started crying because I was so happy to go,” Custer said. “I miss home. I really miss it.”

Bell propels Frenship softball into semifinals 05/13/12 - 5:55am

PECOS — Ashton Bell always seems to pitch herself into jams and then find her way out. Frenship’s senior pitcher did that a few times during Saturday’s Region I-4A quarterfinal against El Paso Chapin. And the one time she failed in the circle, she managed to bat her way out. Bell gave up three runs in the top of the seventh to let Chapin tie it, then hit a game-winning RBI double to send the Tigers to a 4-3 victory. “That’s vintage Ashton,” Frenship coach Robby Dickenson said. “She puts herself in a bind but she always gets out of it.”

Cooper softball takes Game 1 over Andrews 05/12/12 - 5:45am

SUNDOWN — Nerves were clearly a factor during game one of a Region I-3A quarterfinal series between Cooper and Andrews. The third-ranked Lady Pirates worked their anxiety out during an ugly first inning, but Andrews was never able to settle in. Cooper took advantage and scored eight unanswered runs to down the No. 8 Lady Mustangs, 8-3, at Sundown High School. “Emotions coming into this game were so high with the three team playing the eight team,” Cooper pitcher Lauren Heinrich said. “It’s intense.”

Bryan overcomes adversity to become unlikely hero for Red Raider tennis team 05/12/12 - 5:45am

Jeff Bryan and his Texas Tech teammates will head to the West Coast this weekend aiming for a Sweet 16 appearance. Four years ago, though, Bryan couldn’t even make it out of his Texas regional high school tournament. He was recruited to Lubbock as a favor, redshirted his freshman year, and was all but an afterthought in his class — one that included the two most successful athletes in program history. Bryan, the only player on the team from West Texas, is the figurative foreigner on a roster with six Brazilians and an Ecuadorian.

Lady Eagles fall in state semi 05/11/12 - 5:42am

WACO — Lubbock Christian High’s historic season came to an end Thursday with an 8-3 loss to Hallettsville Sacred Heart in the TAPPS Class 3A state semifinals. Sacred Heart’s Rachael Saulnier pitched a complete game, struck out four and prevented the Lady Eagles from having any big innings. LCHS fell behind 4-0 in the top of the fourth but scored runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to make it a one-run game. But Sacred Heart scored four runs in the seventh, including a leadoff home run by Adrienne Klimitchek.

Cooper, Andrews softball ready for round three in 3A quarterfinals 05/11/12 - 5:40am

Close games between Cooper and Andrews in the Region I-3A quarterfinals have become a rite of spring. For the third year in a row the teams will meet in the third round of the playoffs, and it’s a surprise to nobody in either dugout. “We always look forward to these games because we know it’s going to happen,” Cooper shortstop Bree Coons said. “We get our heads on for this series every season.”

Coronado seniors' contributions big 05/10/12 - 5:43am

Coronado softball coach J.J. Johnson can remember the years when a 20-win season was an achievement. But for the seven seniors on the 2012 squad, anything short of 30 wins would be viewed as a failure. Of those seven seniors, five have been starting for at least three years, and three of them are four-year starters. The Lady Mustangs own a 132-17-3 record during their tenure, an average of 33 wins per year. “Overall it would be hard to say any senior class has been better than these guys, that’s for sure,” Johnson said.

LCHS makes history with state tourney berth 05/08/12 - 5:23am

ABILENE — Lubbock Christian High senior Avery Branson said she was “freaking out” before Monday’s TAPPS Class 3A regional final. But that emotion paled in comparison to the celebration that followed the Lady Eagles’ 8-2 win against Richardson Canyon Creek at Wells Field. Coaches and players rushed onto the field to rejoice in the victory, which made Lubbock Christian the first South Plains softball team — TAPPS or UIL — to reach the state tournament.

Tech softball powers past Oklahoma State 05/07/12 - 5:16am

The 24th-ranked Red Raiders rebounded to take game two from Oklahoma State with an 8-4 victory.

Ashley Hamada’s walk-up music — U2’s “Beautiful Day” — was particularly appropriate for Texas Tech on Sunday. Never mind the 90 degree temperatures and the cool breeze at Rocky Johnson Field. Hamada, a senior right fielder, hit one of Tech’s four home runs, and the 24th-ranked Red Raiders rebounded to take game two from Oklahoma State with an 8-4 victory. The win followed a lackluster performance Friday, when the Red Raiders were shut out, 5-0, in game one.

Coronado headed to regional quarterfinals with rout of Odessa 05/06/12 - 6:03am

The Lady Mustangs made quick work of Odessa in a 10-0 run-rule victory, sweeping the Lady Bronchos out of the playoffs.

There was no area round hiccup for Coronado this time. The Lady Mustangs made quick work of Odessa in a 10-0 run-rule victory Saturday at Rosenow Field, sweeping the Lady Bronchos out of the playoffs. Last year Odessa Permian rallied to take games two and three of an area series, stunning third-ranked Coronado. “We definitely wanted to try and prove a point this round,” Coronado coach J.J. Johnson said. The Lady Mustangs scored five runs in the fifth inning to take a 9-0 lead, and Lani Munoz ended the game early with an RBI single in the sixth.