Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w); 804-443-2703 (h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JV Scotties Proud of Season Despite Losing Record
George Eliot once wrote, "Leisure is gone; gone where the spinning-wheels are gone, and the pack horses and the slow wagons, and the peddlers who brought bargains to the door on sunny afternoons," but do her words have Bo Diddly to do with St. Margaret's 1999 junior varsity softball squad? The answer, yes, according to coaches Bill and Michelle Ellis of Dunnsville. Other than one Watermelon picnic and several "coaches treat" snack days on record, the 12 girls on this year's inaugural squad devoted themselves to hard work rather than leisure this season, and it paid off.
1999 SMS JV Softball Squad - (front row to back; l. to r.) Evita Martinez, Giuliana Juarez, Brandy Benito, Lauren Apel, Hanna Kim, Tiffany Marie DeSousa, Mary Burke Parker, Olivia Longest, Kat Price, Bill Ellis (Head Coach), Taylor Ellis, Nikki Clark, and Maryama Tagoe.
The Scotties, 2 wins and 3 losses on the season, faced a tall order as their opening day roster featured a bevy of inexperienced players. "Five out of thirteen girls had never played softball prior to this season so we knew it was going to be a challenge from day one," recall Mr. and Mrs. Ellis.
"Due to academics, illness, and a couple of players moving up to varsity, many had to learn to play new positions. Looking back, this made our team stronger allowing girls to feel comfortable playing a number of different positions."
Season batting averages ranged from .167 to .824. Season wins included a 10 - 8 season opener win over Richmond's Collegiate School and a 19 - 9 pummeling of Blessed Sacrement-Huegenot. The team's 3 losses were: Blessed Sacrement-Huegenot (2 - 12), St. Gertrude's (15 - 24), and Collegiate (8 - 21).
Season highlights included a 10 hit performance versus Collegiate in Richmond. Nikki Clark, of Lively, hit a first inning double and scored. Left fielder Lauren Apel, of Williamsburg, caught a number of fly-outs and hit smart offensively with runners in scoring position. Taylor Ellis, of Dunnsville, hit a homerun. Ellis also homered in a 2 - 12 six hit loss to Blessed Sacrement-Huegenot earlier in the year.
Winning by the 10-run rule in the fifth, SMS defeated Blessed Sacrement-Huegenot 19 - 9 and tallied 14 hits despite leaving 5 runners on base. Tiffany Marie DeSousa, of Roselle Park, NJ, doubled in the fourth; scored. Tappahannock natives Olivia Longest and Mary Burke Parker both hit fifth inning triples and scored. Hanna Kim, of Irving, TX, stole home in the third and fourth innings to score twice. Kat Powell, of Richmond, scored on a stolen base in the fourth. Taylor Ellis tripled; Brandy Benito, Lauren Apel, and Olivia Longest scored on the hit.
In a 15 - 24 loss to St. Gertrude's, SMS left 11 runners stranded and tallied 20 hits. Left fielder Maryama Tagoe, of Alexandria, caught a fifth-inning fly out and followed with strong play at the plate. Eva Martinez, of Miami, FL, after doubling in the second, tripled and scored in the sixth inning. Brandy Benito, of Stafford, stole home to score in the fifth. Giuliana Juarez, of Mexico City, Mexico, singled in the second and third innings.
"We never let the final score dictate whether we had a good game or not. We based our success on attitude, following coaching signals, looking for the right pitches to hit, stealing bases, giving positive encouragement to fellow team members, and sustaining a 110% effort through seven innings," said Mr. and Mrs. Ellis. "We're proud of what we accomplished this year and can't wait for next year's millenium season."
