Last year had all the makings of a historic season for the Strawberry Crest softball team.
With a 9-1 district record and on a 10-game winning streak, the Lady Chargers entered the Class 6A District 11 tournament as the No. 1 seed, only to have their season upended by an upset loss to Leto in the first round.
They ended the season 18-6 overall — and with a bitter taste in their mouths.
With that entire team returning, along with some talented newcomers, Strawberry Crest came into the season with a new focus.
“Our goal right now is to take it one game at a time,” said head coach Mindy Miltner. “We want to win a district championship, but we want to take it one game at a time, because last year we got ahead of ourselves.”
Although there was plenty of individual talent to go around last season, the team hadn’t yet gelled to discover its full potential.
“We’re playing as a team this year, and last year, we were playing for ourselves,” said junior Trystan Reibsome.
BATS COMING ALIVE
Strawberry Crest has earned an identity of being an offensive team since the program began in 2009, but the Lady Chargers have brought things to a new level midway through the 2013 season.
As a team, SCHS is hitting for a .445 average — thanks in large part to a strong junior class.
Four of the eight juniors already are committed to play at the next level — Megan Reed (Florida), Mia Fung (USF), Cacey Simmons (State College of Florida) and newcomer Sammy Tyler (St. Leo).
Simmons, Fung and Reibsome are all hitting at or over .500 at the halfway mark.
“We give credit to our coaches for making us practice every day and work on our batting, so we can get better and be ready for the teams that we play,” said Fung, who has 12 RBIs, four triples and four home runs this season.
Seniors Savannah Bradley and and Maddie Turner also have been key contributors to the first-half success, with both having six RBIs and hitting over .270. Turner is committed to Hillsborough Community College, while Bradley, who also excels in the classroom, is weighing options that include Yale, Georgetown and the University of Chicago. Brianna Alonso, committed to Ave Maria, rounds out Miltner’s first four-year graduating class.
“The maturity of this team has led into our success,” Miltner said. “They’ve been playing for three or four years together, and they’ve finally gelled together as a team. They’re vocal on the field, they know each other well, and it’s coming across because of the experience.”
FRESH ARM
Although hitting can get you a long way, great teams are defined by being able to deliver in the circle.
Tyler transferred to SCHS from Armwood and has become Miltner’s No.1 pitcher. In just 40 innings pitched, Tyler already has recorded 60 strikeouts and has a 7-1 record with a 1.91 ERA.
“She just came over here and went to work,” Miltner said of Tyler. “She’s gotten bigger and stronger, and she’s come over here and helped our program.”
Although Armwood is a district and area rival of Strawberry Crest, Tyler said the transition was smooth, as she has played with many of her current teammates during club and travel ball.
“I’ve played with most of these girls my whole life, so I’m friends with most of them,” she said. “I’m lucky to have such a great team.”
Starting right fielder Jordan Bowers has the second highest amount of innings pitched this season with 8.2. The junior has a 0.81 ERA, while freshman Scottie Todd has been impressive in limited varsity action and will be a player Miltner hopes will lead the pitching staff in the future.
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
Strawberry Crest went into spring break at 10-1 and 5-0 in the district. Its only loss came Feb. 15, when the Lady Chargers fell 9-8 at Chamberlain, the 2012 Class 7A state champion.
Strawberry Crest has a 63-19 overall record since the program began in 2009, but the Lady Chargers have only made it to regionals once — in 2011 when they won the district championship before dropping just their third game of the season in the regional quarterfinals against Braden River.
With a more mature and experienced group back, the Lady Chargers are aiming to have their best season yet, all while taking it one game at a time.
“When we first got here, we all were really young and last year we didn’t have any seniors,” Simmons said. “We’re still a young team, but the program is building up and getting bigger and better.”
BY THE NUMBERS
The Lady Chargers have been on a tear at the plate this season. Here’s a breakdown of their offensive success through 11 games.
.445 — Team batting average
97 —Total RBIs
125 —Total hits
.523 — On-base percentage
14 — Triples
9 — Home runs“>http://rdftamb.ru/momentalnie-mikrozaymi-na-bankovskuyu-kartu.php