The Lady Eagles have set the tone for what promises to be a very exciting softball campaign, recording another pair of wins to push their record to 3-0.
Cloverdale claimed Windsor (5-2) and NCL-1 foe Kelseyville (10-1) as its latest victims, combining outstanding pitching with a solid offensive attack in each game.
“I feel we had a good week for the beginning of the season,” veteran CHS coach Margaret Fitzgerald said. “Our pitching was solid and we had some timely hitting. But our defense can get better, we gave away some runs this week.”
The Eagles ventured south to Windsor on March 12, taking it to the host Jaguars with a two-run rally in the second inning.
Cloverdale pushed across another three runs in the fourth for a commanding, 5-0 cushion, and sophomore pitcher Teanne Edens made the lead stick the rest of the way en route to a 5-2 win.
Edens was masterful in victory, throttling the Windsor offense in a complete-game two-hitter. The second-year ace yielded two walks while fanning 12 in a very impressive outing.
Pacing the Eagles hitting corps were Monica Lemley (2 for 4, run, RBI), Jasmin Orozco (2 for 5, 2B, run), Edens (1 for 4, 2 RBIs), Amy Mora (1 for 2), Rignee DemBeste (1 for 2), Hailey Donahoo (1 for 3), and Jordyn Turner (1 for 3, run).
It was all Cloverdale in the March 13 league opener at Kelseyville, as the Eagles exploited six Knights fielding errors to push across 10 runs in the first four frames. The bulk of the damage was done in a four-run uprising in the second inning to stake Edens to a comfortable lead.
It would prove more than enough runs for Edens, who fired a complete-game no-hit gem. Kelseyville managed an un-earned run in the fourth but the Eagles cruised to a 10-1 win.
Edens was nearly un-hittable, fanning 13 batters with no free passes to notch her third season win. Top hitters were Turner (3 for 4, 2B, 2 runs, RBI), Lemley (2 for 5, 2B, 2 RBIs), Donahoo (2 for 5, run, 3 RBIs), Bailey Creager (1 for 3), Celeste Gastineau (1 for 4, run), Orozco (1 for 3, 3 runs), and Amy Mora (1 for 4, RBI).
Fitzgerald has been pleased with her team’s development in the early going, but knows there is plenty of room for improvement.
“Our win over Windsor proved we can compete with anyone,” she said. “We got a little too relaxed late in the game versus Kelseyville after building a big early lead.”
The Eagles will resume league action at Calistoga on Mar. 18 (after press time) and visit Clear Lake next Tuesday, March 25 in a 4 p.m. start.
