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Saints softball occupies top spot in preseason poll
The Advocate
MHCC’s softball team kicked off practices this week on Monday with a roster of six returning players and 13 new recruits.
Head Coach Meadow McWhorter said the team will now be practicing six days a week.
“March 6 is our first game,” McWhorter said. “It’s crunch time for a good month.”
The Saints are ranked number one in the preseason NWAACC poll. The team won the championship last year and McWhorter said they are determined to do it again. “That’s our number one goal,” McWhorter said.
McWhorter added that the new players are doing well in their new surroundings. “They have just meshed with the program so well,” she said.
McWhorter said that when the new players were filling out their player profiles, there was a common, yet important, topic written down.
“Almost everyone of them said ‘family’,” McWhorter said.
One of the new faces is Emily Enders, a walk-on pitcher. “She has come on and is continually transforming herself as a pitcher,” McWhorter said.
Chelsea Schriber is also new to the Saints’ pitching staff, and McWhorter said “she is one of the most poised pitchers in the program.”
McWhorter said, “The staff of five pitchers we have is so diverse, so different in their abilities.”
Aside from Schriber and Enders, three players from Parkrose High School have joined the team: Katie Brokaw, Jen Bertalot and Kayla Stanfill.
“All three played for a former teammate of mine from Mt. Hood,” McWhorter said, “so we’re really keeping it in the family.”
McWhorter added, “We have several athletes from Vancouver.” This includes outfielder Jessica Guy.
“I’ve been watching her play since she was in the seventh grade,” McWhorter said. “(She’s) the epitome of an athlete who works hard on and off the field. She’s a true student of the game.”
When recruiting new players, McWhorter said she spends a lot of time at tournaments.
“There’s about four or five tournaments I got to,” McWhorter said. “They’re ASA (Amateur Softball Association) tournaments.”
She added that most of these tournaments are Gold Tournaments. “
Gold is kind of your premier athletes,” McWhorter said. “It’s more to set up tournaments to draw college coaches.”
McWhorter said, “I can’t wait to start playing. This is going to be a fun year to coach,” she said.
As for maintaining the team’s focus on family, McWhorter said, “When you step inbetween those lines, it is us versus them. And one of the favorite quotes we have is (that) you play for the person next to you.”
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