Bonanza roster lacks experience

Bengals return only three senior starters

Bonanza and Cimarron-Memorial high school's softball teams both placed second in their respective divisions last season. Palo Verde finished behind Cimarron-Memorial in the Northwest Division, but beat the Spartans in the Sunset Region playoffs to advance to state.

All three squads should once again contend for division and region titles this season.

BONANZA

The Bengals, who placed second to Sierra Vista in the Southwest Division last year, only return seven players, but started the season with an 8-3 mark, including a recent 13-9 win over Palo Verde.

"It's pretty much a whole new team, but they've all expressed a desire to maintain the Bonanza tradition of 20-plus wins a season," head coach Cheryl Speer said. "Our seniors are doing a good job of being leaders and that's been a huge factor so far in trying to bring the team together."

The Bengals only return three senior starters, with one, outfielder Katie Bausher, joining the team late. The other seniors are second baseman Ashley Powers and outfielder Kristin Gonzales.

Sophomore returnee Molly Bausher and junior returnee Megan Lambertz have sparked the squad so far, though, along with sophomore newcomer Joyce Delp.

Bausher, a shortstop/outfielder, is hitting close to .600 after going 5-for-5 against Palo Verde.

"For being a sophomore in high school, she has a tremendous amount of softball experience and knowledge," Speer said. "She's an incredible athlete. Molly could play any sport, if she wanted to, and be good. She has great speed and great quickness, too, and it's hard not to be impressed with her at the plate."

Lambertz, a pitcher who went 10-6 with a 2.00 ERA last season, hurled a no-hitter in an 8-0 win over Chaparral and is hitting better than .400.

"Megan really wants to do well. She has a lot of desire, and she works hard," Speer said. "She has improved athletically from last year to this year and it's really helped her a lot. She's faster and stronger."

Delp, a pitcher who played junior varsity last season, has already tossed two no-hitters this year, and is second on the squad in hitting, with a .518 batting average.

"She's very strong and she's pretty level-headed, which as a pitcher is kind of nice to have," Speer said. "Her control is getting better and she has good bat speed and she generates a lot of power."

Hitting could be a key for the Bengals, who couldn't hit in a 6-0 loss to Green Valley, but came through in the clutch in a 3-2 win over Desert Pines.

PALO VERDE

The Panthers couldn't score against the Gators either, but pitching helped them notch a scoreless tie after 14 innings.

Lindsey Callaway, a sophomore, has assumed the role of pitching ace after backing up Renee Dipuccio last year. She went the distance against Green Valley and also beat Silverado, 11-1, adding a two-run triple to end it.

"She has matured a lot from her freshman to sophomore year. She plays year-round for a travel team and it's showed," Panthers head coach Jaime Ditto said. "She's fearless and gives up less than a walk a game."

Palo Verde, which has advanced to the state tournament the last two years, is also led by seniors Savannah Miele and Heather Kahl, along with sophomore Melissa Wilson, a transfer from California.

"We only have two seniors and (Miele) has really done a nice job of taking the younger kids under her wing and showing them how things are done at Palo Verde," Ditto said. "Miele can play anywhere, but we need her at second base. She hasn't made an error this year."

Kahl, a co-captain with Miele, is more of a vocal leader and plays center field and bats second.

Wilson, a left fielder, is hitting better than .600.

"She's come on like gangbusters," Ditto said. "She's doing a phenomenal job."

Palo Verde's young squad, with two freshmen and six sophomores, will have to grow up quickly to compete with four-time defending Sunset Region champion Centennial, especially with just one team advancing to state this season.

"We want to be one of the top three teams contending for state this year," Ditto said. "We've been one the last two years and I'd like to see us there again.

"If we have a weakness, it could be our youth and inexperience in the postseason."

CIMARRON-MEMORIAL

The Spartans have finished ahead of Palo Verde in their division the past two seasons, only to fall in the playoffs. Cimarron-Memorial, which opened its campaign with a 5-1 mark, return the entire squad from last year, though, along with a pair of promising freshmen pitchers.

"We have everybody back, so we have experience, and another big strength is we have three pitchers," Cimarron-Memorial head coach Joe Sarro said. "We're still a pretty young team, but the big thing this year is, one through nine, we hit the ball."

The Spartans are led by senior pitcher Kim Adams and senior third baseman Lindi Kennedy, one of the top hitters in town. Adams has signed to play for the Community College of Southern Nevada and Kennedy is headed to BYU next year.

Adams is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA, scattering seven hits in 16 innings, with 13 strikeouts and two walks. Adams, who hurled a no-hitter against Foothill, also is batting .533 with 10 RBIs.

"Her pitching kept us in a lot of games last year. She led us on the mound and in hitting," Sarro said. "She has great mechanics on the mound and she's consistent. She doesn't walk a lot of batters and she knows how to hit her spots.

"She's one of the best, if not the best pitcher in town. (Centennial's Shannon) Crisp gets more recognition, but I'd say Kim Adams is right up there with her."

Kennedy, who hit double-digit homers as a sophomore and hit close to .400 last season, is off to a sizzling start this year, batting close to .700 with a homer, nine RBIs and seven stolen bases.

"She's probably the best hitter in town," Sarro said. "She has the potential of hitting it out of the park at any time. She hits the ball harder than anyone and she has a cannon of an arm and great defensive skills."

Freshman hurler Jennifer Liddell has made an instant impact, hitting .583 with 8 RBIs and throwing eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.

The Spartans also feature freshman Kelsey McCoy, senior right fielder Jessie Schoener, junior outfielder/first baseman Christine Terrazas, and sophomores Libby Brooks (shortstop), Caitlin Smillie (second base) and Ashley Adams (catcher).

"Our goal is to go to state and I think our chances are good," Sarro said. "On any given day anybody can beat anybody. We have a stellar young team and I think we'll be decent for the next few years."


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