With only six combined seniors on the Sobrato and Live Oak softball teams, the 2013 season has been dominated by underclassmen for the two squads. And heading into the second half of the Blossom Valley Athletic League season, both teams are still trying to find their footing to make a late-season run.
Against each other, the El Toro rivalry game was used as a stepping stone for the rest of the season. The Acorns scored seven runs in the final two innings to escape with a 10-6 victory April 11 at Sobrato.
The game was littered with defensive miscues for both teams, as the schools combined for 11 errors in a wild back-and-forth game.
For the Acorns, who earned the win thanks to senior Rachel Ditta’s seven innings, the victory was only the beginning.
“The way I look at is that we are a young and growing team, and we are trying to do the best we can,” Live Oak coach Ron Lowery said. “We have a young growing team that’s going through things. We are getting better with each practice and game.”
Ditta also played well at the plate. Celebrating her 18th birthday, Ditta went 4-for-5 with two doubles. Sophomore catcher Tiffany Moore added two hits and three RBIs for the Acorns. Live Oak’s 10 runs were proof of an improving offense that struggled at the beginning of the year.
“We are starting to hit the ball a lot better,” Lowery said. “We’ve spent a lot of time on hitting. We are starting to notice a big change. That’s what wins games for us. We are doing really well with that.”
For Sobrato, the game was more of the same. Defensive miscues cost the Bulldogs on the scoreboard despite strong pitching from sophomore Samantha Torres, who allowed only two earned runs in seven innings.
“We are making a lot of defensive errors, and unfortunately they are untimely errors,” Sobrato coach Leonard Torres said. “Our earned run average is low, but the runs on the scoreboard are high because we are making too many errors and giving too many opportunities. We have to tighten up our defense.”
Those errors ultimately cost Sobrato in the game’s final two frames. Sobrato committed four errors in the final two innings. To see improvement, Torres hopes to see more from the upperclassmen, he said.
“The success in the second half of the year is really going to depend on the success we get out of our juniors and seniors,” he said. “Our freshmen and sophomore players are carrying the offensive load right now. For us to get to that .500 level, our juniors and seniors are going to have to step up their production.”
Offensively, Morgan Martinelli led the way, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Senior Kallie Klinger finished 2-for-2 with an RBI in the loss.
Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, both coaches just want to see improvement.
“Honestly, there is no weakest link on this team,” Lowery said. “It’s watching everyone grow. It’s getting them set and watching them grow. It’s getting something out of it. I’m seeing improvement every game and every practice. There is nothing more that I can ask than that.”
