Lady 'Birds bring defense to softball season
By KRIS BAGLEY sports@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Kris Bagley Glove It Gabby Macias snags a quick hit to second base in Wednesday's practice.

While the Lady 'Birds are in the beginning stages of a new softball season, they have many questions to address about the rest of the year. One thing seems to be almost for certain - the theme for this year's team will be defense.

El Campo returns many starters from last year's team which featured quick reaction and good glove range. Head Coach Shane Wagner said he sees his team as a great defensive unit.

"Definitely, with seven defensive starters coming back, that is our strength," Wagner said. "It's five defensive starters playing in the same position and we have the experience coming back, but the team still has to mesh together. If it's replacing one person, it's replacing three or if it's replacing eight people, your team has to mesh together."

One of the stronger defensive areas is El Campo's outfield, comprised of two seniors and a junior.

"We've got Angela Fiala in left field, who just gets better and better every year," Wagner said. "She can run down just about anything in left field. It's the same thing with Danielle Smith in center field. She gets a great jump on the ball. In right field, it's going to be Lindsey Marik, who has made great strides from last year. She has come along so far as an outfielder.

L-N Photo by Kris Bagley Making Contact Alexis Cooper works on bunting during practice. She will split time at first base.

"Teams are going to have to really hit the ball hard and in the gap for it to fall in the outfield because the outfield is very strong this year."

The infield is roughly the same with the exception of first base.

"It's still going to be Lauralee Collins behind the plate," Wagner said. "She has a year of experience on her now, so that's great. I think she has a better feel for the game - especially at this level. At first base, it's probably going to be split between Kristi Michaelsen and Alexis Cooper. Both of them have very little work at first base on the varsity level, but they've been looking good in practice so I'm comfortable there.

"Second base, right now it's between Haley Pierce and Gabby Macias. Both of them are strong, identical size in stature and they play about the same. It's probably going to be whoever has the hot hand at the time. At third base, you have Anna Raun, which is a given. She's been starting for two years there. Shortstop is the same way, you have Brittney Oates. They're a solid left side and they have been for the last two years. I think my outfield is extremely strong."

El Campo's primary pitcher for this year will be senior Emily Bergstrom. She brings a strong presence to the field as a team leader every time she pitches.

"(Bergstrom), first of all, she's a lefty and you really don't see in softball a whole lot of lefthanded pitchers," Wagner said. "That takes some getting used to. She's not going to overpower you with any type of speed, but she does have good movement on her pitches. We'll work inside, outside, up, down, we'll work all around, but it's not just that.

"She's a leader for our team. She leads the team and when she's on the infield, she gets the respect because she's earned it. This will be her third year on varsity. She's the leader and the team will follow her. We're going to go as she goes and that's the way the team is."

Wagner said he is expecting three new girls to the varsity team to make big impacts on the field as well.

"Chelsi Solis, she's a sophomore who's going to be splitting time with varsity and JV," Wagner said. "Raven Owens, a junior, who's going to be splitting time with JV and varsity. Katlyn Urbanovsky, she'll be my number two pitcher, but she's strong enough and smart enough to be in there. If something ever happens to (Bergstrom) she can go in there and pick up. She's going to get plenty of work in the tournaments."

Urbanovsky should get a good opportunity to pitch in El Campo's tough games early this season. With El Camp's pre-district schedule, the Lady 'Birds will be forced to come together quickly.

This weekend, the girls played against several of the state's top teams in the Bryan/ College Station Tournament. With more tough teams scheduled for the Lady 'Bird Classic Feb. 21-23, Wagner is preparing his team for a tough district with games against some strong squads.

"I want to play a really tough pre-district schedule because I want to face the best," Wagner said. "That prepares us for anything we're going to see in district and it's done well for us. The overall record sometimes doesn't look that great, but that's not what it's all about. It's that district record. We finished 8-2 last year and 11-3 the year before that playing really tough pre-district opponents and going to tough tournaments.

"Yes we want to win and have a great overall record, but that's not what it's all about. If you go 10-0 in pre-district and go 0-10 in district, it doesn't matter, but if it's the other way around, it does matter. I'm going to play the best to prepare us for whoever they can."

The District 24-4A battle should be close this year. Most teams return several players from last year's team and Wagner said he thinks anybody could win it all.

"It's a big question mark," he said. "I would have to say Foster is returning a lot of their key players, so to me, they're probably the top dog in district and they won district last year. I think they're going to be the favorite to win district.

"Katy (Seven Lakes), of course, brings back every player and they were a solid team last year. Their record may not show it, but they played hard and they were in every game. Plus, they've been together for a year now, so I expect them to be at the top.

"Lamar always puts a good team on the field. Terry returns just about everybody. They lose a pitcher, but they may have another pitcher that goes in there and they hit the ball well. I really think Bay City is going to be a strong, scrappy group this year. It's going to be a tough race to get in the playoffs, as it has been the last five years."