What does a high school softball coach do when he or she suddenly learns there is going to be a season and has only three weeks to prepare?
That is the reality in the midst of COVID for the coaches in the Monticello Empire League, who didn’t get the green light to begin practice until the last week of February. But the coaches at Vacaville, Will C. Wood and Vanden High Schools are making the best of it.
“We’re totally excited and happy that we get to have a season at all,” said Vacaville head coach Destinee Santistevan. “But all the ups and downs and then with how quickly we have to throw everything together has definitely been a challenge. I was able to talk with the team a couple of times and told them because we couldn’t come together to stay in shape and they are going to have to basically be on their own. And once we came together and started practicing, they came back in pretty good shape.”
“We started conditioning in January twice a week using all protocols of the pandemic,” said Wood head coach Chris Ramirez. “Some of my returning players felt shorthanded not being able to finish the season last year. I think they are using that as motivation in that sometimes you take things for granted. These girls are really impressed with the fact that we are given that opportunity and are taking full advantage of it. They have been a really good group. Their attitude is all positive.”
“I know that we have a short time clock but the most important thing to our coaching staff is we are trying to build camaraderie,” said Vanden head coach Anthony Trujillo. “We’re just trying to build some chemistry now… We’re doing different things, we’re taking our kids on hikes, we’re doing team bonding type things.”
Vanden had great team chemistry in 2019, the last full season of MEL softball, when the Vikings tied Vacaville for the league title with a 12-3 record. Vacaville went on from there to do something amazing. Seeded No. 9 in the Sac-Joaquin Division II playoffs, the Bulldogs upended top-seeded Rocklin, No. 3 Yuba City and No. 2 Del Oro of Loomis to win the championship.
Vacaville and Vanden have to be considered the frontrunners again this year, but Will C. Wood has a good mix of returnees and new players who will scrap and claw.
Here is a look at each of the squads:
Vacaville
“We have a good amount of speed and some really athletic girls from freshmen all the way up to seniors across the board,” said Santistevan.
Four seniors return — all-league shortstop Acacia Anders, all-league third baseman Mia Lopez, outfielder Phoebi Waller and pitcher/utility player Akiko Morton.
The number one pitching spot is a tossup between freshmen Jordan Munn and Xochitl Atayde.
“Not only are they going to be a huge asset in the circle, but they are also great utility players,” said Santistevan.
Junior Helena Pendergraft returns to play first base, and sophomore Makalya Freshour returns and will be behind the plate.
“She came out for freshman year super strong and came back this year even stronger,” Santistevan said of Freshour.
Up from the junior varsity are junior outfielders Audrey Castillo, Kaitlyn Griffin and Taytum Ferdig.
“We still have our long-ball hitters,” said Santistevan. “Not as many as I lost (to graduation), but I definitely gained it in speed. We still have a lot of power and will still see a lot of runs scored.”
Vanden
Anthony Trujillo, now in his fifth year as head coach, has employed a strategy that has paid off with well-disciplined fundamental players.
“The three seniors that came back, I didn’t replace them with juniors,” he explained. “I replaced them with freshmen. So now those kids can learn my language, learn my staff, learn the way we do things. I just feel like we keep them in the nest. I’m not going to expect a lot of the freshmen. Sophomore, junior, senior I am going to up the ante.”
Trujillo will up the ante on several of his established players this year. They include junior pitcher Hazyl Gray, who as a freshman was all-league and Pitcher of the Year. She was 13-3 overall with a 2.26 ERA and 98 strikeouts and 39 walks in 94 innings.
The coach also expects big things from senior all-league center fielder Tai Wilson, junior all-league backstop Shaunese Hogue-Lacy, right fielder Mia Santos, shortstop Cassandra Zapata and pitcher Keira Cahalan.
When Cahalan pitches, Gray, who possesses a laser arm, may play rightfield, with Santos moving over to left.
Destiny Harris and Taylor Brower are competing for the left-field spot. The only lock in the infield is Zapata at shortstop. Four freshmen and one sophomore are competing to play at third, second and first bases, although Cahalan has the inside track for first base.
“Keira is looking a lot better this year on the mound, throwing harder,” Trujillo said.
Senior Bianca Belo-Diaz is the backup catcher.
“I am happy with the team speed,” said Trujillo. “We are more gap-to-gap on offense, but we do have some kids who if they barrel up they can get it out of here – Hazyl, Destiny, Shaunese… A quality hitter uses foul pole to foul pole. I want disciplined at-bats.”
Will C. Wood
The Wildcats have three seniors– second baseman Gabriella Fregosa, a four-year varsity player; center fielder Brittany Lentino; and right fielder/catcher Kylie Tampueco
“Gabby will be my mainstay as far as team leadership,” said Ramirez of his team captain and leadoff hitter.
Junior Lainie McClintick, who is also a strong hitter, will be No. 1 in the circle. Starting shortstop, junior Maddy Moorhead, will also pitch. Junior Alexis Sorenson will be behind the dish and speedy junior Lexi Kopf will be in left field.
Sophomore Lucy Welinske will patrol right field, and sophomore Kaitlyn Martinez also figures in Ramirez’s outfield plans.
Freshman Danica Walker is slotted for third base, while hard-hitting junior Caitlyn Andrade will be at first. Junior Kaylee Hawkins, a solid utility player, can play second or third base or pretty much anywhere. Junior Riley Reed is the backup at third base.
“We have more speed this year than last, but less power,” said Ramirez. “But we are going to have to execute more, we’re going to have to do the little things. But we will be scrappy.
On the first day of the season on Tuesday, Wood hosts Armijo while Vacaville plays at Vanden.
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