First Two Wins Show Eagle Softball Gaining Confidence

Before having their season rudely interrupted by last weekend's weather, the Eagle softball team won its first two games of the season by sweeping a doubleheader at Cabrillo, 4-1 and 4-3.

The wins followed a challenging early-season schedule against the top four teams in Northern California.

"Some things are coming together," coach Jon Cox said after the two Feb. 18^th victories. "We're gaining confidence in our pitching and the defense played really well. Our outfield played really well even in the losses. They covered ground and threw runners out at the plate. The infield is making routine plays, and we're getting timely hits. We did some small ball stuff well, like sacrificing to score a runner from third."

The wins followed 5 losses -- at San Jose, to Sierra and San Mateo in San Mateo, and two at Monterey Peninsula. "Good teams force you into making mistakes," said Cox, who saw it as a learning experience that helped the Eagles at Cabrillo.

Cox said freshman pitcher Gracie Copeland "did a great job" in the opener at Cabrillo. She pitched a 7-inning complete game, giving up one earned run on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.

In game two, it was Leea Brown who pitched a complete game. She shut out Cabrillo after the first inning and needed only 67 pitches to finish 7 innings. She gave up 8 hits but had no strikeouts or walks. Brown, a transfer from Cuesta College, went to Tulelake High School and played travel ball in the Siskiyou Jaxx program coached by Cox. "She was around the zone early in the count, they were swinging, and we played great defense," he said.

The Eagles' pitching plan this season is to mix and match, Cox said, but Copeland and Brown "were doing so well, and the defense was playing so well, we felt like we didn't need to."

On offense in game one, centerfielder Halliday Hubbard put the Eagles on top 3-0 in the second inning when she tripled to right field to drive in Nevaeh Atchley and Alicia Chavez, then scored on the throw.

Atchley, who went 3 for 3 at the plate, scored an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a single to right by Maddalyn Fullenwider, who went 2 for 4. Both Shyla Mead and Katelyn Weber connected for doubles.

In game two, the Eagles trailed 3-0 before a 4-run rally in the top of the third that started with a run-scoring single by Fullenwider. Then, with the bases loaded, Alexis Figueroa hit one in the gap between right and center field to drive in 3.

Hubbard had 2 hits including a double, and Mead and Atchley had 2 hits each.

After last weekend's games were cancelled, the Eagles are scheduled to play two games at Sequoias this Friday and two at West Hills Coalinga Saturday.

By Steve Gerace