Girls Fastpitch Team Enjoys Successful Summer
Dayton, OH (June 29, 2004) In the 16 and under summer league, the "Bad News Bears", consisting mainly of the Valley View junior varsity and varsity softball team, have dancing through victories and remain undefeated after six games.
"It's pretty exciting. When the girls go out there I know they have a lot of heart and I think that's what makes the difference," Coach Megan Clark said.
Dayton Public Schools was the Bears' first game and they came out on top with a 12-10 victory.
"Dayton can hit the ball well, but need to work on their fielding skills. As a team we seem to play down to the level of the teams we are facing and we barely pulled out a win.
Jessica Warner pitched the win. Laura and Krista scored three runs and Kayla Kerns was able to get a hit in her first ever fast-pitch game," Clark commented.
The second win (9-7) came against H.H. Optimist Club.
"We seemed evenly matched with the Optimist club and pulled out with a hard win. Katharine Mullins pitched the win with three strikeouts," noted Clark.
The wins continued to rack up when the Bears grabbed another victory (13-8) against a Dayton Public team.
"They were hitting and had some speedy runners, but still needed to work on their fielding. Tricia Tracy caught for the first time ever for pitcher Jessica Warner. Kristin Izor and Jackie Cox had their first hits of the season and scored two runs while Kea Donson scored three runs. Kristen Atkinson and Becky Perkins also scored two runs for us."
Northridge was an easy win for the Bears who scored 10 runs to Northridge's two. Last Thursday, the team took their sixth win after coming on strong at the end of the game.
The Bears were down 2-5 going into the bottom of the fourth inning when they attacked. Kristen Atkinson moved the runner on first with her hit to shortstop. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, before scoring off a base hit. After a pop up and out at first the girls took the field.
The ladies were only down by one and were ready to step back up to the plate. One, two, three outs. A pop up and dead ball hit made two easy outs before a runner made it to first by walk.
On the next, pitch Krista Smith fired from behind home plate, as the runner was trying to advance, and Tricia Tracy scooped up the ball for the third out.
Katharine Mullins took an out with a hit to the short stop before Amanda Koon reached first on a walk. Tracy found a hole between the third baseman and shortstop which put runners on first and second.
There were two outs after a play was made at third, but the Bad News Bears were not ready to give up and sent Tracy home after a hit by Perkins. Tipton helped pull the team in the lead with a hard hit to short stop, who fumbled the ball allowing the winning run to reach home.
The next two innings were short and to the point. Well, to the point that the Bad News Bears needed a win.
"I think we could pick up the aggressiveness. In every game we've played we have started off slow and came back in the final innings. We need to come out and play hard all game," Clark stated.
Clark is happy to see the team winning, but that's not the only thing she's looking for.
"I wanted them to get better and the more experience they get the better they will be as overall softball players," Clark commented.
"Some of the younger girls have the opportunity to play with the older girls and I think by mixing them together it will bring a lot more improvement to the field and plate," Clark noted.
Clark, a 2001 graduate and Spartan outfielder, knew she couldn't give the girls the coaching they needed, at least not by herself, so she decided to have Missy Smith help her throughout the summer season.
"Missy played fast-pitch all four years of college and really knows a lot. She's an excellent athlete and great coach," Clark said.
The 14 and under teams are also doing really well. The Lady Spartans' are also undefeated, 5-0, under Coach Greg Fultz while the VVBase team continues to add wins to their record, coached by Molly Countryman.
