GIRLS’ SOFTBALL SPORT SHORTS, 2012-13–
(Scrimmages do not count toward win/loss record. Visit the Sports Section for girls’ softball features. For a simple overview of scores and upcoming games, check the Spring sport box scores, 2013 for dates, opponents and times for all Eagle sports.)

Be sure to visit the 2012-13 girls’ softball schedule, home page, or check out Maxpreps.com. The Eagles are currently 2-11 overall and 0-5 in the West Sequoia League as of April 22. The Eagles will next play against the Caruthers Blue Raiders, April 25.

EAGLES DEFEATED BY COYBOYS, 10-0
The Eagles traveled to play the Riverdale Cowgirls in their fifth league game of the season, starting at 4 p.m., April 22. Although the first inning remained scoreless for both teams, the Cowgirls were able to score three runs in the second inning. Both teams held the other for the third and fourth innings, keeping the score at 3-0, Cowgirls.

The fifth inning yielded another three runs for Riverdale, which were unanswered by FC in their sixth and final ups. The Cowgirls added four runs to their total in the bottom of the sixth inning, and the game was called according to the 10-run rule. Riverdale emerged victorious by a score of 10-0, holding FC’s record to no wins as of yet.

Head coach Jeff Regan was excited that the girls were starting to make basic plays and concentrate on the game a little more constantly this game. There is always room for growth, though, and he would like to see more consistency on the defense with fielding, throwing and catching the ball to get outs.

“Execution [of plays] was improved and focus was better,” Regan said. “The team needs to make the routine plays on a regular basis, though.”

Regan hopes that the girls will be able to see the things they did well and their mistakes in this game so they can improve on and learn from them. Despite the hard loss, he and the rest of the coaching staff are encouraged about the growth they are seeing and have enjoyed watching the team take leaps forward in their game.

“Next game we are looking for a building on this game’s positives and learning from its negatives,” Regan said. “Growth and learning are clearly improving, and we coaches are seeing progress.”

Third-baseman Brooklyn Barth, ’16, was disappointed with the loss but pleased to see the increase in focus and intensity from each of the girls. She does know, though, that their game is still far from perfect, and believes that in order to get better, the team will have to maintain the concentration and competitiveness throughout the whole game instead of just coming out strong in the beginning.

“At Monday’s game we did well with mentally staying in the game,” Barth said. “We could have done better by finishing the whole game, though, and improving small errors. It was a good game overall, and hopefully we can finish the whole game next time, give it our all and maybe bring in a win.”

The Eagles will next play the Caruthers Blue Raiders at home, beginning at 4 p.m., April 25.

This writer can be reached on Twitter at @JennaWeimer42.

For more information, see the April 24 article, Softball sport shorts: Minarets.