Gary sisters from AZ lead LRSC softball team into region tournament

Article by Sam Herder, Devils Lake Journal Sports, April 29th, 2016.

Kory Boehmer called it "a blessing" when he decided to pick up his ringing office phone last year from a number he didn't recognize. After all, the Lake Region State College head softball coach doesn't always answer when he sees unfamiliar digits.

But on a day when his noon meetings got cancelled, Boehmer happened to leave lunch early and opened his door as the phone was ringing.

On the other end was a soft voice from Arizona, wondering if the Royals had a spot for her and her sister next year.

The rest, as they say, is history.

It was Hanna Gary on the phone, inquiring about potential colleges to continue her softball career with her sister, Emma.

The Gary sisters played at Ironwood High School in Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix. And it just so happened the Royals were traveling to Phoenix last March for a handful of games.

Boehmer met the sisters down there and they worked out for him.

"I got to see them practice with us and knew they were something special," Boehmer said. "We found some money for them and it's been history. It's been a blessing because they're awesome. They hustle all the time. They're courteous, great kids and students. They play ball hard and are good leaders."

They have been pretty solid on the field as well. 

In 43 games, Emma has a batting average of .439 with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs. Hanna is batting .393 with nine home runs and 47 RBIs.

The two mostly play in the outfield, with Hanna also doing some pitching.

Emma earned national recognition this week, being named the NJCAA?Division?II Player of the Week after batting .500 and hitting nine homers, four doubles and three triples in five games.

While their play speaks for itself, the two soft-spoken freshmen often have to explain how and why they ended up in Devils Lake from a place like Phoenix.

The answer, really, is simple: they wanted to go somewhere colder and smaller.

"It's definitely a different climate,"Emma said. "We're not having to be in the heat as much, which is kind of nice. It's nice and cold here and we haven't been in the cold very often."

"College-wise, it's a small town," Hanna added. "It was good for us to come up here and play softball."

While going separate ways in college wasn't off the table, playing softball together at the next level was the ideal situation for the two.

"It's always good to have someone you know you can trust with you on the field,"Hanna said. "We've always played together, so I feel it'd be weird if we didn't."

In Arizona, the high school softball season went from February through May. In North Dakota, Mother Nature isn't as cooperative for spring sports.

Practicing indoors is the norm when the season starts. Wearing sweatshirts and winter headwear during games sometimes is a must. 

"It's definitely a big change,"Emma said. "We're not used to that at all. You have to warm up differently and warm up a lot longer when we actually are outside."

The Garys competed on the AZ Force club softball team as well. The club level has proved to prepare the two for college ball.

"They know how to play the game right," Boehmer said. "They're always looking to me to get better. They have really become power hitters."

LRSC will need continued big play from the sisters and the entire team to stay on a roll. The Royals enter the Region XIII Tournament today with a 14-29 overall record, but have won five straight games.

As the No. 4 seed in the five-team, double-elimination tournament, LRSC plays No. 5 Bismarck State College today at 11 a.m. in Rosemount, Minn.

The winner faces top-seeded Dawson Community College.

LRSC is 3-1 against BSC this season and are 0-4 against DCC.

The Royals will need to win three before they lose two to advance to districts.

"Our goal is to win it," Boehmer  said. "We've battled with Dawson. They've basically handled everybody in our league. We've put up three good games against them. It's a neutral field so we'll see what happens."