Any time Sherman High's India Stone forgets that simple lesson, she has Tide softball Coach Jim Henderson to remind her.
A mere 16 months ago, Stone was one of Henderson's two top players. She and teammate Mereaha Cooper were a formidable hitting and pitching duo.Then, two days before Christmas in 2006, Cooper's parents were killed in a car accident.
So what does that have to do with Stone?
Well Cooper moved to live with relatives and now plays for Riverside High. That left Stone to carry the load at Sherman.
Also, Cooper's father was deeply involved in local softball coaching and both he and his wife were very much like a part of the Sherman team.
"It was very rough going into my junior season," Stone said. "It made me work harder for them, kind of a for their memory thing."
Having a talented teammate had provided a security blanket for Stone.
"I knew she was always there to back me up," she said. "I could always depend on her."
Besides being together for two seasons the duo had played together for the Sherman entry in Buffalo's fall softball league that school year.
"The group had played well in fall ball and we were expecting big things," Henderson said.
When Cooper left, the players turned to Stone for leadership. Left alone in the spotlight, she did not fold.
Last Wednesday night, she was there again, leading the Tide to a pair of victories in Class AA, Region 4, Section 3 tournament at Winfield.
In Game 1, Stone pitched all nine innings and had three hits along with an RBI as Sherman rallied from two runs down in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-5 win over Poca.
Then, she threw her allowed five more innings in Game 2 and allowed just three hits. At the plate, she went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs from her leadoff spot in the batting order.
Sherman jumped to an 8-0 lead and held off Winfield for an 8-4 win.
Stone will be back in the spotlight, something that she has adjusted to since Cooper's departure.
"She became a much better pitcher," Henderson said. "She worked harder and became much more disciplined. I think she has become a better overall player because she was expected to do more," Henderson said.
Stone holds numerous Sherman single season and career records, including seven no-hitters in her career.
As a hitter, she now owns the career and single-season Sherman records for hits and the career record for doubles.
With a 20-11 record after Wednesday she has also led this year's Tide to a new program record for wins in a season.
However, Sherman isn't a one-girl team.
"We've pretty much told (the other players) from the start that India's going to keep them in games but they have to do their part," Henderson said.
Mandy Workman doubled in the game-tying and winning runs with one out in the bottom of the ninth against Poca. Brittany May threw two scoreless innings and had an RBI single in Game 2.
Henderson wasn't overly excited after the two wins in the double-elimination sectional.
"It's always good to get a win," said Henderson, whose team set a school record for single-season victories. "But of course we started this way last year and ended up losing the last two."
He does not care which team his squad faces today as both have presented problems for Sherman this season.
Before Wednesday, the Tide had split two regular season games with Winfield, losing 3-2 and winning 6-4. Wednesday's win over Poca evened that season series at two games apiece.
"They have played well against us," Henderson said.
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Winfield 5, Poca 4 -- The Generals plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the tough Class AA Region 4, Section 2 win Thursday.
Ashton Anderson had two hits for Winfield, while Jennifer Francis knocked in the game winner.
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Sherman 6, Winfield 1 -- Stone tossed a three-hitter to lead the Tide (21-11) to the Class AA Region 4, Section 2 title Thursday.
For Sherman, Jessica Hudson and Mandi Workman had two hits apiece.
For Winfield (17-13), Loren Cullen smacked a double.
THE CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
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