By Thomas Jones, Sports Editor

Eight is the loneliest number, at least when it comes to Senior Night for the Westlake softball team.

Before their District 25-5A win over Connally last week, the Chap coaches continued a tradition of painting the seniors’ numbers in center field. Make that the senior’s number, because this Westlake team is younger than those Indian paintbrushes that sprung up in Rollingwood Park after last week’s rain.

Only Adriana Martinez had her number stretched across the outfield, but the size of that reddened “8” matched her impact on the program. 

Martinez has been making big plays for the Chaps since she preserved a win over Bowie with a diving catch at third base during her freshman season. An all-district outfielder a year ago, she will likely repeat that feat following this stellar senior year.

Chap coach Haley Gaddis gives statistics as frequently as the Texas Legislature doles out education funds, but the Westlake skipper quickly sums up Martinez’s impact at the plate.

“She leads us in practically every category,” Gaddis said. “You name it, she leads us in it.”

Well, OK. Batting average. At-bats. Runs. Hits. Doubles. Total bases. Slugging percentage. On-base percentage. Stolen bases. Walks. 

And attitude, in a most complimentary way.

Every club from Little League to the major leagues needs a player like Martinez, a hard-nosed competitor who knows when to clown around and when to buckle down. Westlake’s youthful squad needs a leader more than most, and Martinez has filled that necessary role. With a pointed word or a sharp glance, Martinez can quickly direct the focus of a team that has four freshman and two sophomores in its regular line up.  

That leadership stretches beyond the chalk lines. When someone has to make a decision on the clubhouse music, Martinez selects the songs. When someone needs to nip a petty controversy concerning team dinners, Martinez gets the girls together and makes a decision. When someone needs a key hit, Martinez steps up to the plate and delivers.

Sure, Martinez boasts numbers aplenty when it comes to offensive production. But the number that the Westlake program will miss the most remains that “8.”