With only three returning seniors, the Girls Softball Team opened the season with a 5-0 loss to Romeo, but Varsity Coach Sharon Roeher was not disappointed because the girls played well offensively.
‘Inexperience reared it’s ugly head in Romeo,? Roeher said. ‘But we are stronger offensively than last year and we didn’t have any strike-outs.?
At the end of the 2004 season, the Lady Cats lost in the districts to Lake Orion after leading the competition 8-1. The team finished 6-6 in the Flint Metro League.
Roeher said this year the team is stronger offensively and is looking to finish among the top three teams in the league.
To reach their goal, the Lady Cats will be focusing on strong offense with hard hitting and executing accurate defensive strategies.
Assets for the team include returning senior Amber Cervantez, a pitcher who Roeher said worked hard in the off-season to improve her overall game. The strong arm of senior Amanda Crump will add defensive speed to the outfield, while serious batting and accurate pitching from senior Jessica Anhel will help keep the ball in play.
‘We all need to work on hitting,? said Roeher, but smart base running will be a primary focus at the onset of the season. While Roeher said the outfield is strong, the infield is also loaded with talent from sophomore Amanda Jolly and junior Lindsey Nieman at first; junior Cayla Stanard at second; varsity newcomer freshman Kelsey Oliver at third; and sophomore Anne Marie Skylis covering short stop.
Roeher said innings will be won with smart base running and good speed. She said Oliver and Stanard are the wheels of the team and hopes speed will improve team-wide throughout the season.
Giving up the season opener to Romeo was not a disappointment, but a learning experience for Coach Roeher and junior varsity coach Alanna Stockley, who both welcomed the loss in order to see what adjustments need to be made with the team.
‘As a defensive-minded coach, I see we need to be more solid defensively and to be smart base runners,? said Roeher. ‘I was pleasantly surprised to see we are stronger offensively than last year. We put the ball in play a lot, but we need to work on speed and hitting harder.?
‘The Romeo game helped us as a group. The team is serious about ball and dedicated to the game,? Roeher said.