Players shift positions due to 2006 graduates
They’re the defending Central Coast Section champions, but
they’ve never won a league title.
This year, San Benito High girls’ varsity softball coach Scott
Smith hopes to change that.
Players shift positions due to 2006 graduates
They’re the defending Central Coast Section champions, but they’ve never won a league title.
This year, San Benito High girls’ varsity softball coach Scott Smith hopes to change that.
“I’d be very disappointed if we didn’t play for a league championship,” Smith said. “We’ve never won one because we’ve had some really good teams in our league over the years. But this year we should be right in there.”
A year ago the Balers finished with a 23-9 overall record and went 10-2 in league, good for second place behind Notre Dame. In the playoffs, they picked up wins over Gilroy and Carlmont before ousting Watsonville for the Division I title.
Heading into the 2007 campaign, Smith admits that the stakes as well as the team’s expectations are much higher than they were a year ago, and he’s already feeling it.
“When you have talent it is up to the coaches to get it done,” Smith said. “In that sense I feel a lot more pressure this year.”
This year, Smith is also hoping to see a CCS championship win in person. Last year, he had to miss the title game in order to attend his daughter’s wedding in Texas.
“I’ve already sent notices out to everyone in the family. I don’t care if it’s a funeral or what, I will be there this year.”
When the season starts next month, the Balers will take the field without three of their starting players from a season ago, who graduated, but that doesn’t mean San Benito High is not stacked with talent, particularly at the No. 1 position.
A year ago, Marissa Ibarra was named the MVP pitcher of the league as a freshman. Overall, she posted an eyebrow-raising 1.1 ERA and was almost un-hittable in league play, courtesy of her 0.79 ERA.
Ibarra also ended the season by tossing seven consecutive shutouts. All of this could be a nightmare for opposing coaches as the sophomore gets stronger and stronger and gains more playoff-atmosphere experience.
“Last year, she was sort of an anomaly because no one knew her,” Smith said. “I think she’ll throw even harder this year, and she should do well as long as she maintains her control.”
In addition to Ibarra, the heart and soul of the Baler team will be back in the lineup this year.
One of those players is junior Elena Fata – the team’s shortstop, who only made one fielding error in 2006.
“We’re actually going to have Marissa pitch to teams to encourage balls to come to Elena,” Smith said. “She is just the epitome of a softball player. She plays real intelligent, too.”
Another player who has a knack for laying down the leather defensively is J.C. Clayton, a sophomore with the versatility to play just about anywhere in the infield.
“She’s real fast,” Smith said. “Probably one of the fastest we have this year. She’s got a real good bat. She’s got good power and is probably our best base runner.”
A season ago Lizzy Gatto was the team’s right fielder but is expected to move into the infield this year. According to Smith, she’s got “slappy power” and has the potential to be a long-ball threat for the Balers.
Junior Rachel Maheu is expected to play centerfield again this season for the Balers, but it’s her ability in the batter’s box that has most impressed Smith.
“She’s a left-handed slapper. Her on-base percentage is really good and she probably gets more clutch hits for us than anyone,” he said.
It was Maheu, who scored the winning run in the title game a year ago over the Wildcats.
One impact player that will really be missed this season is Ari Romero, who graduated at the end of last season. Romero was known for her stellar play at first base. This year she is expected to be replaced by Audra Brown, a senior who played leftfield a year ago.
“She’s going to have some big shoes to fill over there,” Smith said. “Ari is the toughest player for us to replace. We probably would have had 10 or 15 more errors over there had it not been for her play.”
The Balers open the season on the road against Burlingame March 2. League play is not slated to begin until March 27.
John Bagley can be reached at
jb*****@pi**********.com
.
