(Part 1) Softball Season, Right around the Corner
Senior Missy Romero coming back for more Dominance
If the Canyon Lake Softball team can improve this season as much as last year’s team did, then you might see the Hawks make it to State.
Last season CL finished in second place in District play and made their first playoff appearance. Wanting more of the same would be an understatement.
In 2010, the Hawks finished the year owning a 4-20 record and proceeded to turn that around to a very respectable, 18-12 for 2011 season.
How about a 7-3 district record with the Hawks needing only four runs to make those losses into wins.
“Back in school conditioning has been very positive,” Head Coach John Gallagher started. “Everyone has worked and the overall conditioning should be better.”
Winning can instill a better idea and focus for a team that had not enjoyed the fruits of playing in the playoffs like most of the other teams for Canyon Lake.
“Conditioning gives us overall strength,” Coach Gallagher continued. “It should help with speed, agility, and quickness for fielding.”
Coach Gallagher knows about winning. He has fielded State Championship teams in Colorado before moving down to the hill country.
In fact, he has the most wins in the State of Colorado.
Softball is a sport that still depends on a pitcher for giving the prognosticators an idea of what a season might have in store.
Senior Missy Romero has been the girl in the circle and will be bringing her 1.23 Earned Run Average (ERA) from her banner 2011 season.
This will be the second year with the circle three feet further from home plate.
Last season that rule made Softball a different sport, because of those three feet, it gave the batter a better chance hitting the ball which also made fielding a much more important aspect in game action.
Romero has been pitching to the same catcher for her whole career. This season Coach Gallagher will be in the process of finding a replacement for that position.
“Finding a catcher will be a work in progress,” Coach Gallager said.
Replacing the players lost from last year’s squad will be an intriguing part of Coach Gallagher’s job this season.
Katy Payne: had caught 99% of every inning for Canyon Lake.
Tiffany Arredondo: center fielder and lead off hitter.
Megan Browning: played outfield and saved many runs with her catches.
Alex Henderson: was nails last season with her fielding and hitting.
Another way of looking at last years team based on previous teams will become clearer looking at the comparisons below:
Team Stats:
Batting Ave.
2011 .283
2009 .229
2010 .229
On Base Pct.
2011 .342
2009 .331
2010 .286
Slugging Pct.
2011 .305
2009 .277
2010 .276
Fielding Pct.
2011 .898
2010 .866
2009 .826
The ReSporter will continue our Softball preview next week as we look at the schedule and District foes.
