Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Action from Wednesday’s game at Arcata High School.
By Ray Hamill — Arcata junior Lily Cunningham and sophomore Alli Mitchell got the new softball season off to an impressive start on Wednesday, as the Tigers entertained St. Bernard’s in an early-season showdown.
The Crusaders won a high-scoring game 15-8, but a young Arcata team showed some positive signs despite the loss.
Including the play of Cunningham and Mitchell, who were named the team’s players of the game.
Cunningham finished 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk and drove in five of her team’s eight runs, while Mitchell was 1-for-1 with a pair of walks and scored three runs.
For more on St. Bernard’s, see Crusaders get first win, prepare for busy weekend at Biggs …
“We did some good things at the bottom of the lineup, and the top of the lineup brought them in,” Arcata head coach Steve Sarchett said. “All we can do is grow.”
Sarchett has a young team this year, with just two seniors and two juniors on the roster.
And as you might expect from such a young lineup, there were some early growing pains.
“It was our first game since the jamboree and I thought we did okay,” the coach added. “We had a few fundamental mistakes which hurt us early in the game.
“Our pitchers threw strikes for the most part. We didn’t walk a lot of people. But St. Bernard’s capitalized on our mistakes.”
The team’s two lone seniors are Lexi Alto and Aria Soberanis, with the experienced Alto expected to provide leadership this spring.
And the team’s youth and competitive nature should pay dividends as the season progresses.
“What I like a lot about this team is the youth and enthusiasm,” Sarchett said. “And they’re setting a fire for the upperclassmen. They want to win so bad.”
The pitching also is young, with sophomore Riley Houston back for a second year with the team, alongside freshman Shia Sarchett.
The two pitchers spilt time in the circle on Wednesday.
“We’re going throw a lot of strikes and we’re going to have to play good defense,” the coach added. “I think everybody will get a little better as the season goes on.”
Next up, the Tigers will play at the Trinity tournament, which gets under way on Friday of next week.
