On March 3, the Aragon girls softball team (1-1 overall) lost 6-2 to Notre Dame (1-1 overall) in its first game of the season.
The Notre Dame Spirits started off the game with a 1-0 lead in the second inning. At the top of the second, the Spirits scored again and pulled ahead with a score of 2-1. However, in the bottom of the same inning, junior pitcher Brooke Tran hit a triple, scoring a run for the Dons.
“I’m not dissatisfied, but I’m not exactly satisfied,” Tran said. “I think that was a good game.”
The third inning was rough for the Dons. Not only was a double play made against them, but Notre Dame finished the inning with a 4-1 lead.
Senior shortstop Megan Grant started the bottom of the fourth strong with a double, and after sophomore pitcher Rae D’Amato’s bat, Grant scored a run, making the score 4-2 going into the fifth inning.
“We adjusted for the pitching that we were facing,” Grant said. “We saw that they had speed on them and just took what they gave us. Hit the strikes, take the balls, all that stuff.”
“We saw that they had speed on them and took what they gave us”
Assistant coach Tori Lovell agreed with Grant.
“The girls kept fighting and they adjusted [at] bat,” Lovell said. “They adjusted the first pitch strike as we got going.”
The Dons’ defense was strong in the fifth inning, with three consecutive outs against the Spirits. In the last of the fifth, the Dons loaded the bases with one out. The rally fell short after a double play.
The Spirits widened the gap in the top of the sixth inning, and it ended with Aragon trailing 6-2.
“[I think we could improve our] communication within the defense,” Grant said. “[Especially] when it comes to those balls in the gaps between second and right field or third and left field and short.”
The score went unchanged in the seventh inning, and the game ended in a 6-2 loss for the Dons.
“This is our first game [and] we’re … trying to get comfortable with each other and figure out our dynamics as a team,” Tran said.
The Dons, who have qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs for two consecutive years, are determined to continue the streak. Last season was challenging because of COVID-19.
“Trying to get everything going game-wise and just finding coaching staff [was difficult during the pandemic],” said junior second baseman Brooklyn Blake. “It was hard to put together fundraisers.”
With 19 returning players, including veterans Grant and senior third baseman Olivia DiNardo, the Dons are starting off the season with a strong team.
“I’d say we have good hitting and a good infield,” Tran said. “The only thing that we really need to work on is [the] outfield as we have mostly infielders on our team.”
Players like Blake believe the team’s “family feel” will help their performance.
“We work really [well] being spread out on the field,” Blake said. “We all bring different components to make it work.”
The Dons also work well together off the field.
“Everyone is [making a] welcoming and open space for new people,” said sophomore catcher Caroline Harger.
“This is our first game [and] we’re … [figuring] out our [team] dynamics”
Assistant coach Gustavo Garrard temporarily stepped in as head coach last year. This season, Liz Roscoe regained the role.
“We have [college-bound] players that [are] going to bring excitement to the field,” Roscoe said. “The coaching staff is knowledgeable [and] when you put the two together, [you] have a very good team.”
Roscoe hopes to develop every player as an athlete and a person.
“Communication … would be my goal with this team,” Roscoe said. “The physical ability is there. If I can get them to communicate with each other and the coaches, we will be very successful.”
The team is excited by the prospects of the season.
“Every game, [I want to] go out and leave it all on the field,” Harger said.
The Dons’ next game is against Silver Creek (1-0 overall) on March 10 at 4 p.m.
