Brian Cronk wasn’t sure what to expect when the class of 2029 stepped on campus. It’s been a pleasant surprise.
The Monterey softball coach inserted three freshmen into the lineup — at pivotal spots, too. That youth is paying dividends as the team hits its stride with the postseason looming. Look no further than Friday.
With a ninth-grader in the circle and two others providing offensive support, the Plainsmen downed Amarillo High 9-6 at Lady Plainsmen Field. The result gives each team two District 3-5A losses with a week remaining. Lubbock-Cooper also has two losses as the district championship race comes down to the wire.
The Golden Sandstorm face Lubbock-Cooper in their finale, while Monterey has two games left, including a matchup against the Pirates.
“This game was very important, but we can’t (put) a lot of pressure on ourselves,” Plainsmen first baseman Sabrina McBeath said. “We’ve got to play freely, just have fun, excitement, things like that.”
McBeath had plenty of fun Friday. She drove in the game’s first run as part of a 2-for-3 night. It was a continuation of an impressive debut for the freshman, who bats cleanup.
“Watching Sabrina do her thing, she’s definitely a bright spot — something we weren’t expecting or counting on,” Cronk said. “She’s done some great things offensively. She’s continuing to grow as a hitter and as a player in general.”
Amilli Olivarez hit 1-for-3 with two runs, while fellow freshman Jade Calantas earned the win. Calantes recorded 10 strikeouts in a complete game. It was a bit of personal redemption after taking the loss in a 11-9 decision at Amarillo on March 14.
Olivarez was 3-for-3 with two home runs and a double in that meeting, while McBeath went deep as well. The freshmen have continued to develop during the Plainsmen’s eight-game winning streak since.
Then again, the team as a whole is improving.
“All our freshmen are continuing to grow, and they continue to do things that we didn’t expect,” Cronk said. “We’re proud of their growth. We’re proud of the growth as a team and the things we’re able to do as a team.”
That includes contributions from veterans such as Jaden Smith and Selena Fernandez, who each homered Friday. Both long balls came in a five-run third inning that saw Monterey (25-5-1, 12-2) take the lead for good. The Sandies (22-9-1, 13-2) hit three home runs, two in the fifth that pulled them within 8-6, but that’s as close as they got.
It was the first domino to fall as the district’s top three teams duke it out before the playoffs. Cronk said he welcomed the late-season gauntlet as a precursor to win-or-go-home time.
“You want to play the best (teams) down the stretch,” Cronk said. “Amarillo High is very solid. They’ve got two quality arms in the circle. Their batting lineup’s as scary as can be. And then Cooper returned a lot of experience, so they are good on that end. Just getting to step on the field with people that have playoff experience and have had playoff success is a plus. We welcome the opportunity.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Freshmen playing key roles for surging Monterey softball
Reporting by Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
