The dream season continues for the girls softball team. After scoring in double digits for the tenth straight game, not only are opponents losing, but they’re getting blown away like dust.
What’s been the cause for this recipe for success? Junior Ashley Romano believes the team’s aggressive batting approach mightily aids their power surge.
“We have jumped on the first good pitch we get when we get up to the plate and we have taken advantage of our opponent’s mistakes,” Romano said.
On April 30, the girls defeated Ramona 11-4. Senior Alexis Derango, and juniors Kellie Fox and Alix Johnson all got three hits each, and combined for more than half of the team’s run production.
On May 5, the girls crushed and squeezed the juice out of Orange Glen, beating them 22-0. They put up 12 runs in just the first inning, their most runs scored in a single inning this year. Orange Glen’s starting pitcher, McKenna Clewett, only pitched one-third of an inning, giving up nine earned runs. Contrary to that, sophomores Breana Williams and Allysa Abrenica pitched their third combined no-hitter of the season, striking out eight batters in the process.
In fact, scoring runs early has not been unusual by any means for the girls.
“Our team’s greatest strength right now is our ability to turn it on with the bats when we need to,” Romano said. “It seems that we always have one big inning that fires us up and allows us to put more pressure on our opponents.”
On May 7, the girls made the long trip to Valley Center and came away with an 11-1 victory. Junior Kellie Fox had no trouble swinging for the fences as she hit two home runs in the game, driving in four runs. Williams’ pitching capped it off with a complete game, allowing only one hit while striking out six batters.
Coaches Ruby and Caesar Chavez continue their stellar work from behind the dugout, pumping up the team and keeping their intensity level high throughout the games.
“They’re really fun people to be around,” junior Nina Villanueva said. “They grew up with baseball in their family so they know a lot about the game.”
Traveling to Oceanside on May 12, the team was surprisingly in a tight game, only leading Oceanside by two runs entering the fifth. But once again, they found a way to put up a crooked number on the opponents, piling up 10 runs in the fifth inning en route to a 12-0 victory. Senior Maggie Doremus went a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple and two stolen bases. Williams pitched another gem, allowing no hits and striking out nine batters.
Two days later, on May 14, the girls defeated San Marcos 10-1. This game was also a close one until the bats woke up for the girls, scoring eight runs in their last three innings. Romano had an incredible performance, going 4-for-4 with three runs, three RBI’s, two doubles, a triple, and a pair of stolen bases.
As the CIF’s are clearly on the horizon, the girls are not looking to relax and assume that they will cruise through the tournament with little trouble.
“There are a lot of good teams in the CIF,” Romano said. “I don’t think you can take any one team for granted. We have to take the playoffs game by game and always give it our all no matter who the opponent across the field is.”
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