Softball: CL Hawks Finish Pre-Season with Win over Blanco, 7-3
Maddy Puente, Kenzie Sayles, and Kaylee Puente ready themselves for a Great Year!
The Lady Hawk’s Softball team continued their pre-season with another win and this time the victim resided in Blanco after a systematic, 7-3 victory.
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Scrimmages are not an exact science as many of the teams will have some of their better athletes still making waves playing basketball as that regular season came to a close last Tuesday. So, sometimes these scrimmages will not have the best players on the field which was the case for both of these teams.
CL is still waiting for players that have had significant pieces of their puzzle not yet placed for completing this picture.
For the Hawks, there are several ladies that concentrate just on Softball and seeing how they are performing is one key you can take from these games. Those regular season contests will be next when CL starts the year with a tournament against Del Valle on February 20th at 10am.
On this night, The Lake, was able to quell the Blanco Panthers, 7-3 with Maddy Puente pitching 5 of the 6 inning games and Kenzie Sayles shuttling out the opponent to end this cold blowing evening.
Coach Hayley Galloway answered some questions going into the start of the season next week in the New Braunfels/Steele Tournament.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
On where the team is in comparison to last year and what will be the point of emphasis? “We will be putting a lot of emphasis on special situations (1st and 3rds, etc.)…I think we are ahead of the curve compared to last year, but definitely still need to put in some work to be where we want to be.”
CL’s Junior Varsity does not get much mention so give the Hawk Nation some thoughts on this group of players, “This JV team is excited to be out there playing the game, which makes them fun to watch. We’re excited to watch them to continue to grow.”
This will be the first Hawk team that will have more than one or two seniors in the dugout. That could be that missing ingredient in how this campaign might unfold and perform from start to finish.
This year’s schedule has been changed a tad but starting off with a very tough tournament against larger schools will be a quick, out of the gate, feel on what might be in store for these ladies.
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The ReSporter had a chance to talk with a few players that have been in the trenches for the past 2 to 3 years.
“We are looking better and we are more jelled and get along better,” Kenzie Sayles said in response on how this season is shaping up. “We will be putting more into our practices and that will make us become better together.”
Sayles started as a Freshman 2 years ago and will be going into her Junior year high on several Hawk Lists.
Sayles presently is holding down the 6th spot in batting average (.383) and is one of those batters that has a good command at the plate. She presently has walked the same amount of strikeouts (19) in her career. That stat is important since starting as a freshman and showing no hesitancy in how she approaches that part of her game.
Sayles has filled in, inside the circle, and was instrumental in solid play in the outfield when not pitching. Going into this season with 5 triples and two more years of plenty at bats, this could be a place to watch in helping set-up easy scoring opportunities with her running the bases IQ.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
Kaylee Puente will be skipping her Junior season and has planned to graduate this year. She started playing the same year as Sayles and has improved her batting ten-fold last season.
Looking to continue that upward trend will make CL’s line-up even more nightmarish for those opposing pitchers in the circle.
Kaylee Puente’s Freshman season had a respectable .274 batting average that was complimented with a .357 on base percentage. She raised that average to .313 last year and has started her pre-season games with a solid bat.
“I am getting more comfortable at the plate and I am seeing the ball better and I keep pushing myself,” Kaylee said. “My throw-downs are consistent and I am not hesitant.”
That last note was how Kaylee has played catcher even tho this game had her fielding at short-stop, “I am playing infield because we need someone to help out as we wait for Marley (Carrizales) who is still playing basketball.
Go Hawks!!
“I think we have gained sisters,” Kaylee Puente said in response what might be different this year. “We have Riley (Glenn-Millhouse) as a power hitter and Jodi (Glenn-Millhouse) as a slapper.”
“I feel our second year (with Coach Galloway) will be better as she is understanding more of who we are and she is getting more comfortable,” Kaylee continued.
Maddy Puente will have a huge roll this year as she will be the No. 1 pitcher and will hope to make a statement in the batter’s box.
Maddy Puente has a lofty, .419 batting average and will have a chance to take the all-time double leader with decent year and the long ball (home-run) being within her reach.
“I just want to be more consistent,” Maddy stated on her wants this season. “I’m watching the ball and feeling more comfortable.”
That last statement was in response on hitting a zinger in the scrimmage that did not allow the Blanco fielder time to get her glove ready before the ball screamed by her in going to the outfield.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
Being in the circle can be a tiring ordeal for many as that gives a player no rest as she will be in every play. “I am kinda consistent with my change-up but I want to win every game and break all the hitting records.”
That speaks highly of a player that will give all she has before she leaves the diamond this year.
Canyon Lake will be starting their season on Thursday with a 6 game three day event gets things going in a hurry.
This should be a fun year and making the playoffs a must for a great group of ladies.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
