Spring softballers searching for a streak

Looking to build off newfound success in the 2009 campaign, Highland Park High School softball coach Lori Szentgyorgyi thought hitting might be an issue in early-season games. But her players put paid to those thoughts in the opener, pummeling East Brunswick Tech 16-1 and scoring in every inning.

With seven home games in April, and an 18-player squad with three seniors and no defections from ’09, HPHS is looking to qualify for the state tournament in consecutive seasons. The Owls made the field last year for the first time in nearly a decade.

“We started to improve halfway through the season,” Szentgyorgyi said.  “I wasn’t too surprised and expected to get at least the first round of state games in.  Things started to kick in at the midway point and the transformation helped us step up.”

Leadership is an important feature of this year’s team, as the Owls elected to go with senior leaders instead of the traditional captain arrangement.  Seniors Samantha Mundy, Sasha Lugo and Julie Romero help with essential guidance and teaching points.

“Last year the dynamics weren’t where they should be,” Szentgyorgyi said.  “This year, we are embracing the team and recognizing we have a good chance to go far.  We’re doing a great job of keeping the team together and encouraged.”

HP’s strength starts at the battery, with Mundy joining junior Ilyssa Schwartz at pitcher and junior Dahlia Moyal anchoring things behind the plate.  Schwartz went the distance in the first game of the Owls’ 2010 campaign, scattering four hits and striking out five. Mundy drove in a run and scored four times.

“My pitcher-catcher core is pretty strong,” Szentgyorgyi said.  “It’s the same one that has worked together for three years.  Ilyssa has improved tremendously as a pitcher and you can tell she has worked hard. She has the drop ball perfected and is quite consistently over the plate.  Samantha is a lefty and throwing her into the mix is a good diversion for the batters. (Dahlia) has an awesome arm and is tough to steal on.”

After starting three freshmen in 2009, HP will not rely on any first-year players in the starting nine this spring.  Around the horn from third to first, the Owls lineup consists of Lugo, sophomores Vikki Valenta and Kaitlin Kovalchik and junior Jasmin Robertson—who joined Mundy in crossing the plate four times in the opener.

All are returning starters and the coach was quick to point out that they are “thinking less about things and making plays automatically, while learning and making better decisions.”

In the outfield, juniors Stefanie Perez and Lexi Schickner are joined by sophomore Kristen Galayda to round out the trio. Schickner validated her All-Gold Division status of a year ago by hitting a double and triple and scoring three runs against East Brunswick Tech.

“As with the other ones, they are returning outfielders,” Szentgyorgyi said.  They had the basic A-B-C’s last year and now we’re able to add situational things to them. The three have secured their positions with work ethic and I expect that from them all season.”

Since H.P. has historically started slowly in the hitting department, the early-April, double-digit run outburst was a welcome surprise. Szentgyorgyi talked about how she and assistant coach Erin Washington worked that department during preseason camp.

“With hitting, we do different drills. Sometimes, we’ll devote a whole practice to hitting drills because of the weather. It’s important to avoid starting slow and repetitions are the only way to do that. Developing muscle memory and learning how to swing the proper way are what we have to do.”

Unlike last season, when Szentgyorgyi was forced to start the same lineup every day due to a numbers crunch, there are multiple players vying for each position in 2010.

“A little competition is pretty healthy,” she said.  “Last year, my hands were tied a bit.  But, the kids have been stepping their game up and I love it.”

With elevated optimism stemming from last year’s record and an impressive opener, the coach is ready for results.

“I usually set my expectations high and make the girls set goals,” Szentgyorgyi says.  “Even if the goals are basic and they reach them, it’s a great definition of success individually and as a team.  That’ll help drive us this year.”