Softball team perseveres through minor setbacks

The Aragon varsity softball team ended its season with a win against Mills High School last Thursday, May 12. Although they ended the season with a record of 12-15, they persevered throughout their games.

The team played against Burlingame on May 3. In the bottom of the first inning, Aragon outfielder junior Maureen Duddy hit a solo home run, putting the score at 1-0. However, at the top of the second inning, Burlingame hit two home runs, putting the score at 2-1.

Later, an error led to two more Burlingame runs, and another two were scored in the inning, giving Burlingame a 6-1 lead. With outfielder sophomore Annalesse Di Santo and infielder sophomore Stephanie Perez on base, outfielder Duddy hit a ball out to left field, and moved Aragon up two runs, ending the second inning with a score of 6-3.

By the bottom of the fourth inning, Burlingame had gained one more run, putting them up 7-3. With senior Vanessa Smith at bat, she brought in two more runs, followed by a third, allowing Aragon to catch up to Burlingame 7-6. The two teams were tied at the bottom of the sixth, but one more run ended the inning with Aragon leading by one run, 8-7.

At the top of the seventh and final inning, Burlingame tied the game at eight runs apiece. Initially, the Aragon girls managed to keep Burlingame at bay, but their hold on the tie slipped. Burlingame would later drive in two more runs, keeping the score at 10-8 until the end of the game.

Head coach Bill Laskey says, “The majority of the team played to their abilities. Three fourths of the girls had adrenaline and intensity, and the one or two that didn’t cost us the game.”

Duddy says, “We played really well today. Burlingame was finding gaps in our playing, and they beat us. We did not lose for ourselves, they legitimately beat us.”

Junior shortstop Brooke Ramsey says, “It was a good game, but we deserved to win more than they did. Everyone was trying hard. We have to come to every game with the attitude that the opposing team is just a regular team, and that we have the opportunity to win.”

Duddy says, “[Some things that make up a solid team are good] communication and good chemistry. You know when a team has good chemistry when the players understand who is going to catch the ball and throw it to the next person, and that person is ready for the ball.”

Ramsey says, “Definitely communication and teamwork [make a good team]. When everyone gives 100 percent and everyone is behind you, that’s teamwork.”

Laskey says, “I value the concept of girls being able to play softball, and learning enough so that they will be able to coach later on.”

Ramsey says, “It was a slow start, but now that we’re in the middle, it’s starting to be a good season. We’re where we want to be.”

Senior outfielder Tori Lovell says, “The season started out really rocky, but we’re definitely finishing strong. It’s a totally different team out there now. I’d love to restart the season and start out like this instead of how we did.” Aragon began the season at 3-8 before finishing with a 12-15 record.

Laskey says, “We lost a few seniors this year, so we had to bring up freshmen and sophomores. I watched this team win five out of eleven games, and then they proceeded to win six out of seven games. I couldn’t ask for better individual effort or better team effort from these girls.”

Lovell says, “The team has hugely changed. We had a lot of dominant seniors on the team last year, and since there are a lot of young people this year, we don’t have very many leaders. Outstanding leaders really help the team.”

Laskey says, “Overall, the Aragon softball program is improving. It’s showing all the people who are considering joining the softball team both that we are rising as a whole, and that it is a high intensity sport.”