The old sports adage that states, “It’s not how you start but how you finish that counts” is only half true – it’s also important how you start.
The Lady Eagles rebounded from a season-opening loss with three straight wins last week, scoring decisive road victories over Calistoga (16-1), College Prep (25-0) and Redwood Christian 11-1) to push their pre-league record to 3-1.
“The team faired well in our three games versus division opponents,” CHS coach Margaret Fitzgerald reported. “It was great to see our bats come around with Josie Marrufo and Heather Sterling setting the table at the top of the line up and consistent hitting from the middle of the batting order from Lane Hughes and Nicky Martinez.”
Also big was the emergence of freshman Tehya Bird, who did everything but sell snow cones in all three outings. Bird struck out a combined 38 batters as the winning pitcher in each game and was just as lethal with a bat, slugging seven hits, including three homers, while driving in a team-high 15 runs.
Eagles’ hat-trick
Cloverdale wasted little time in the March 14 visit to Calistoga, roughing up Wildcats’ pitching for 11 runs in the opening frame. The Eagles tacked on two more in the third and three in the fourth to force an early stoppage on the mercy rule in an eventual 16-1 rout.
Bird fired five innings, yielding one hit, no walks and an unearned run while fanning 12 to notch the victory. Leading the 17-hit attack were Emily Harris (3 for 4, 3 runs, RBI), Marrufo (3 for 5, 3 runs, 3 RBIs), Bird (2 for 3, HR, run, 3 RBIs), Sterling (2 for 5, 2 runs, RBI), Angelina Campos (2 for 2, runs, 2 RBIs), Martinez (2 for 3, 2 runs, RBI), Hannah Bireschi (1 for 4, run), Hughes (1 for 4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs) and Emma Adams (1 for 2, run).
Cloverdale didn’t skip a beat the following day at College Park in Oakland, pounding out another 17 hits while capitalizing on eight Cougars’ fielding errors en route to a 25-0 romp in five innings.
Bird (5 IP, 2 hits, 13 Ks) fanned all but two batters in a masterful effort, while leading the team with a Herculean hitting performance (4 for 5, 2B, HR, 5 runs, 9 RBIs). Also swinging hot bats were Sterling (3 for 4, 4 runs, 3 RBIs), Hughes (3 for 5, 2 runs, RBI), Bireschi (1 for 4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Campos (1 for 1, 2 runs), Marrufo (1 for 3, 2 runs), Martinez (1 for 2, 2 runs, RBI), Adams (1 for 1, run, RBI), Harris (1 for 3, run) and Alma Beltran (1 for 4, 2 runs).
Cloverdale made short work of host Redwood Christian in San Lorenzo on March 17, scoring early and often on its way to an 11-1 rout in six innings.
Bird (6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 13 Ks) claimed her third win of the week, while top hitters were Marrufo (2 for 3, 3 runs), Bird (1 for 2, HR, 3 runs, 3 RBIs), Martinez (1 for 4, 2 RBIs) and Hughes (1 for 3, RBI).
Tournament on tap
Weather permitting, the Eagles will host the annual Cloverdale Tournament this Friday-Saturday (March 24-25). The Eagles will opening the tourney against St. Bernard’s at 2 p.m. on March 24.
