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Manchester
dominating once again?
The
2006 softball team is showing talent and passion
By Steve Guthrow-Sports Contributor
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Elli
Morris/Chesterfield Observer
Catcher Lauren Pleveich also works the plate with her bat, hitting
.448. |
Returning eight starters often conveys a high probability of success for a
high school softball team. But for Manchester High School’s girls
squad there are no such guarantees in the battle for Dominion District
supremacy.
While the Lancers, victors in six of their
first eight contests this spring, hope to avenge regional tournament losses
the past two seasons, just surviving day-to-day in one of the state’s
toughest districts currently dominates their attention.
“It’s a dogfight every year in our
district,” said Manchester coach Lynne Gilbert. “It’s good, good
softball.”
“We can’t walk out there and not bring
our best game and win,” she said of a district that features powerhouses
such as Midlothian and Lloyd Bird and solid squads at Monacan and Clover
Hill.
Thus far, however, Manchester has not
disappointed its faithful.
The Lancers are hitting a scorching .316, a
high mark considering they’ve already faced several Top 10 schools in the
opening weeks of the campaign. They feature great leadership with five
seniors among the returning corps and benefit from outstanding pitching from
10th grader Lesley Skinner.
Coach Gilbert gives high marks to the
chemistry of this year’s group. She even sees perhaps some similarities
with the Manchester High team she guided to the 1996 state championship.
“It is strangely similar because the kids
that won the state were very good friends . . . just like these guys,” she
said.
“You can’t teach having a passion for
things…both of the teams have that, a fire for the game.”
“This group of individuals is very
selfless,” Gilbert insists. “They’re good people. I’m so
blessed.”
Pitching is the heart of softball and
sophomore phenom Skinner is keeping opponents off-balance with a bevy of
bizarre pitches – changeups, screwballs and an occasional fast ball for
good measure. The ace, an all-region team choice last year, has posted five
victories with a hardly charitable (or measurable) 0.67 earned-run average
across 51 innings of work.
Senior catcher Lauren Pleveich has withered
enemy hurlers to the tune of a .448 batting average in the early going.
She controls the game from behind the plate.
“[Lauren] understands that her job is to
help the pitcher,” said Gilbert. Her ability to handle pitches well (one
passed ball), has allowed Skinner to pull liberally from her bag of pitching
tricks without fear of errant throws and advancing runners. Pleveich
has also proven effective at picking off runners from both first and third
base.
The rest of the Lancer infield sends shivers
through opponents both offensively and defensively.
Seniors Lauren Johnson and Taylor Morgan helm
the corners at third and first base, respectively.
Johnson has pounded two home runs and totaled
eight runs-batted-in while fashioning a .478 batting average.
“She’s the best third baseman in the
region,” offered Gilbert. “Her range is unbelievable and she has a
cannon for an arm.”
Another reigning first team Central Region
player, Morgan is great at fielding first base as well as digging out throws
as needed. Her line drive hitting has produced five RBI and a nearly
.300 average in the early going.
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Elli
Morris/Chesterfield Observer
Pitcher Lesley Skinner’s wild style effectively keeps batters off
balance. |
The double-play combo
of juniors Jessica Sullivan at second and Brittany Melton at short should be
the envy of any softball program.
Sullivan, a left-handed fifth-spot hitter,
rarely strikes out or makes an error (just one all last season).
Melton has found new life as a “slap
hitter” from the left side in utilizing her speed to beat out choppers and
drag bunts. She is setting the table admirably with a .484 average at
leadoff. Once Melton does reach base, blazing speed is called upon to
further pressure defenses in creating holes for other hitters.
The outfield provides top-notch fielding with
offensive punch on occasion.
Senior Lauren Wooten “is doing a phenomenal
job in center field” according to Coach Gilbert. Like Melton, she
has converted to a slap hitter to keep opposition defenses nervous.
Senior Erica Skinner patrols right field and
has demonstrated a knack for throwing out runners at first base.
Left field became the team’s big question
mark when Wooten moved to center this season, but junior Jamie Johnson has
provided strong fielding while sophomore Abby Hendricks is getting the bulk
of the time as the designated hitter for that spot.
Backing up Skinner at pitcher are Sarah
Taylor, a junior with ‘pop’ in her delivery to complement Skinner’s
off-speed style and left fielder Johnson when called upon.
Added depth offers glimpses of the future at
Manchester with freshman Brittaney Silk and sophomore Lauren Piedra.
Both outfielders have posted three hits in their first 13 at-bats.
Junior Katie MacCauley backs up Pleveich and caught in both victories
against Meadowbrook in March.
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