Eagles blank St. Vincent 8-0 inĀ season opener
Itās been said more than once that the only thing tougher than winning a league title is trying to defend one.
Thatās the challenge facing the defending NCL-1 champion Cloverdale Lady Eagles softball team this season as they look to hang a second straight league pennant. Ā
The ladies are already off to a winning start in 2014, having notched an 8-0 shutout win over perennial power St. Vincent last Friday.
Iconic head coach Margaret Fitzgerald is back for her 25th campaign to lead a squad that is equal parts talent and experience, with a roster of 10 returning veterans and a handful of promising newcomers that simply know how to win.
The Eagles are coming off a tremendous 2013 season in which they posted a gaudy .402 team batting average and went 13-1 in league to claim the NCL-1 crown. The team earned a high seed in the North Coast Section playoffs before being bounced by Moreau Catholic in the second round to finish the season at 20-4. Ā
āWe had an amazing team last year so itās unfair to say weāre stronger this season,ā said Fitzgerald, assisted by coaches Cheryl Turner and husband Pat Fitzgerald. āBut weāve got great senior leadership and a lot of girls that have been playing together for years. We just need to make them believe.ā
The Eagles return many of the top players in league led by seniors; shortstop Jazmin Orozco (.468 BA in 2013), outfielder Amy Mora, outfielder Kelsi Sibert, junior outfielder/pitcher Monica Lemley, and sophomores; catcher/outfielder Jordyn Turner, pitcher Teanne Edens, infielder Bailey Creager, and infielder/outfielder Celeste Gastineau.
First-year varsity players are senior Jennifer Lopus, Rignee DenBeste, and sophomore Hailey Donohoo.Ā The JV coach is Rachelle Sanders.
Edens is the ace of the pitching staff, fresh off a tremendous 2013 campaign that included a 17-3 record and a 1.38 earned run average, fanning 116 batters in 126.2 innings.Ā Ā Lemley is coming off a great freshman season that saw her hit .459 and lead the team with 39 runs batted in. Turner is another sophomore to watch after hitting .448 with 35 RBIs in 2013. Ā
Eagles blank Mustangs
Cloverdale made it a successful spring debut in the Mar. 7 opener against St. Vincent, busting open a scoreless tie with five runs in the third inning. The Eagles added three insurance tallies in the sixth en route to an 8-0 win.
Edens went the distance, yielding just three hits and two walks while striking out four to earn the victory. Top hitters included Turner (3 for 4, run, 2B, RBI), Gastineau (2 for 3, 2B, run), Sibert (1 for 3, run, 3B, 2 RBIs), Lemley (1 for 4, 3B, run, 2 RBIs), and Orozco (1 for 3, 2 runs, 3B, 2 RBIs). Ā
As always, the Eagles have their sights set on NCL-1 supremacy, with arch-rival Clear Lake figuring to pose the greatest challenge again this year.
āOur goals are to win league and hopefully go deeper in the NCS playoffs,ā Fitzgerald said.
The Eagles resume pre-league action on Mar. 12 (after press time) at Windsor, and visit Kelseyville on Mar. 13. Cloverdale will wrap up the road swing at Calistoga on Tuesday, Mar. 18. All games start at 4 p.m.
Next week: a look at the CHS varsity baseball team.