Softball Preview: La Salle has sights on another title shot
La Salle's, from left, shortstop Sterling Shuster, pitcher Allie Forillo and Victoria Baltazar, who plays second base, pose at La Salle. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/SPORTS)
In 2010, there's a new challenge at La Canada where Spartans coach KC Mathews will direct a freshman-loaded squad.
Meanwhile, San Marino is making the biggest leap in talent with the addition of a 6-foot-3 freshman pitcher, and Maranatha is looking to make another deep run in the playoffs.
But perhaps the most intriguing story this year is the immense talent returning at La Salle, which for the first time in 11 years features a new head coach in Rich Diaz. Despite the change at the top, the Lancers are hoping to make another trip to the title game. They have all the weapons needed, and that's what makes La Salle the top-ranked team in the Star-News' preseason rankings.
No. 1 La Salle (25-6)
The Lancers return one of the West San Gabriel Valley's best arms in Allie Forillo. The lone senior starter went 17-3 with a 1.68 ERA and struck out 197, well on her way to first-team Star-News All-Area and All-CIF honors.
"It's a huge boost for the team to have her back," La Salle coach Rich Diaz said. "To me she's the most dominating pitcher in the area. She has just one goal in mind and that's to get back to the title game, and obviously to win it."
La Salle came up short in the Division 6 final against Marymount, but Diaz feels confident the Lancers can make a triumphant return with six returning starters.
Sterling Shuster will provide a strong defensive presence at shortstop.
"Sterling is what I consider a five-tool player," Diaz said. "She can hit for power, for average, has a great glove, a great arm and is a clutch hitter. Whenever I need a hit she will deliver."
Sophomore Victoria Baltazar is a first-team All-Camino Real League selection returning at second base. She will also share pitching duties when Forillo is not in the pitcher's circle.
"She works hard and is mentally tough," Diaz said.
Baltazar started at right field last year but made a seamless transition at second base after the Lancers' Samantha Krost suffered an ankle injury, moving Shuster from second to replace Krost at shortstop.
La Salle will start seven underclassmen, including sophomores Colleen McWilliams (center field), Madison Worley (third base) and Meaghan Allen (catcher).
Michael Harper, who's been with the Lancers softball program since 1991, retired at season's end. Diaz was his assistant the past four years.
"I'm excited because I have a group that is willing to work hard to get back to the finals," Diaz said. "We're excited about the challenges that are waiting for us. We have a lot of confidence in this team."
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No. 2 Maranatha (22-7)
The Minutemen lost two stellar pitchers in Kimmie Sommers and Nicolby Atallah, but Maranatha coach Scott Sommers feels confident they can regroup.
The Minutemen return six starters from last year's semifinal team, including Annie Sommers, a junior shortstop, and Natalie Marino, a senior third baseman who will split time pitching, too. Kaitie Czuchaj will play second and right field, Sara Kert will be in center and Melissa Hough will play in left field.
"I think we're a little more balanced club," Sommers said. "But we did graduate two senior pitchers. That's going to be our biggest transition."
Leah Heefner will be the other pitcher splitting time with Marino. Catching for them will be Kaitlyn Bernardsen, who started there last year as a freshman.
No. 3 La Canada (19-8)
The Lancers return one of the best pitching lineups in the area. Lauren O'Leary and Lauren Cox will have to carry the load in the circle and Anna Edwards will provide the big bat for a team that lost six seniors.
Edwards batted .427 with 22 RBIs and 11 doubles as a sophomore, leading the Spartans to an 11-1 finish in the Rio Hondo League and a second-round appearance in the playoffs where they lost to runner-up San Dimas, 2-1. O'Leary carried a 1.11 ERA last year and struck out 129 batters to finish 13-2 on the season as a sophomore. Cox had a 0.72 ERA in 58 innings pitched. She went 6-4 and struck out 74 as a freshman.
No. 4 San Marino (4-15)
The Titans will be fun to watch this year after they added freshman pitching standout Michelle Floyd, who at 14 already was playing in 18-under travel ball. The 6-foot-3 freshman is who San Marino will rely to keep it within striking distance. The Titans also return the Rio Hondo League's leader in stolen bases, Alexis Watanabe. In addition, San Marino returns all nine of its starters, but the key addition no doubt will be a stout No. 1 pitcher.
Watanabe, who as a sophomore batted .474 last year and had 16 stolen bases, moves to second base in an effort to shift the defense with Floyd pitching.
"Considering that Michelle throws about 65 mph, if anyone makes contact she'll go to the right side," San Marino coach Hilda Valencia said. "I want to have our strongest player playing on the right side of the field."
No. 5 Mayfield (15-8)
The Cubs return the area's leading strikeout pitcher in Katie Clancy. As a sophomore, Clancy went 15-8 with a 1.13 ERA and struck out 236 batters. She is expected to dominate once again, but this time she has a better supporting cast.
Junior Kaitlin Fitzpatrick, who batted .384 with 11 RBIs, returns at catcher. Anneliese Luck, who was limited last year because of knee surgery, will play at first base and pitch occasionally. Several key freshman are looking to make contributions, including Jessica Parada and Mireya Hernandez.
No. 6 South Pasadena (14-13)
The Tigers boast arguably the best shortstop in the area with Indiana-bound Shelby Gogreve. As a junior she hit five home runs and batted .395 with 11 RBIs.
"She's a girl that plays this game at a high level," South Pasadena coach Mike Williams said. "She plays with college-bound athletes and when she plays with that kind of talent at the club level you can't help but get better."
Williams will rely on senior leadership, led by Gogreve, Courtney Dunlap, and MacKenzie Johnson, all of whom are four-year letterman. Dunlap is versatile and will see time at catcher and first base. "She's my stop gap," Williams said. Johnson will start in center field.
Marissa Baca, a sophomore pitcher, is looking to show what she's got this year after her season was cut short last year because of a wrist injury. Where there's some cause for concern is the loss of power in the batting lineup and young talent in the infield. Gogreve is the lone returnee in the infield.
No. 7 Temple City (16-9)
The Rams return five starters, including Jessica Loicano and Lenae Sanchez. Loicano, likely to be the starting pitcher, batted .464 as a junior and hit six home runs. She'll be counted on to continue carrying the offensive production with the loss of Veronica Grant who has since graduated.
Sanchez, headed to Western Oklahoma next year, will play right field and some first base. Sami Jakeway is only a sophomore, but Temple City coach Bob Ellingsworth is expecting big things from her. Jakeway made an impression last year as a freshman catcher. "She's a complete player," Ellingsworth said.
No. 8 Arcadia (11-13)
The Apaches return five starters, including Utah State-bound Sam Miller and UC San Diego-bound Emily McQuaiz. The Apaches will rely on a pitching rotation that goes four-deep and are hoping to improve on last year's fourth-place finish in the Pacific League and a first-round exit in the Division2 playoffs.
"We have a really strong squad," Arcadia coach Megan Lehy said. "Contending for a Pacific League title and beyond the first round in CIF is totally possible with this group."
No. 9 Monrovia (8-16)
The Wildcats return eight starters, including Humboldt State-bound Brooke Cowell, who is a four-year letterman. Cowell, who batted .412 as a junior, moved from first base to center field, where Monrovia coach Randy Medina wants her to control the outfield.
Twins Cori and Kelly Williams will be a formidable pitcher-catcher tandem. Cori, now a junior, has pitched since she was a freshman. "She has better control and just overall has gotten better," Medina said.
No. 10 Alhambra (12-12)
The Moors return five starters from last year's team that finished fourth in the Almont League.
Denise Gonzales was impressive as a freshman pitcher last year, but she's likely gone for the rest of the season after a fractured right shin suffered during summer play. She will get the injury re-evaluated in April. That's when Moors coach Armando Molina will know if she'll play during league or not.
miguel.melendez@sgvn.com
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
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That would be an *umpire's* windshield.
That would be 'fewer runs'.
A solo home run by the Marshall shortstop broke the 2-2 tie somewhere in the middle of the game. The next inning a run scored (not sure whether that was an error) and in the excitement/confusion the ball was thrown around unnecessarily, resulting in a second score. That seemed to take the steam out of La Salle. (Sorry, I was so busy correcting people's grammar that I didn't pay close attention to the game.) Also, a foul ball cracked a referee's windshield.
Apparently they lost by getting less runs than the other team. By the way I am glad that you reposted your question with capital letters, I was concerned about your syntax.
how did La Salle lose??
how did la salle lose?
Mayfield 0 - Gahr 0 (after 3 - rained out)
Duarte Tournament:
L.A. Marshall 6 - La Salle 2
South Hills 11 - Flintridge Prep 1
South Pas 11 - Pasadena 1 (I think)
La Canada 10 - Rosemead 0
Chky:
Good to see rise from the dead. Have fun this year.
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