By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
KEIZER, Ore.– Barely a week after their tough 2A/1A State Championship defeat to Heppner/Ione, the Regis softball team were back on the diamond preparing for this upcoming season.
Playing as the Raptors Fastpitch 16U, the squad competed in their first tournament of the season that saw them going 3-1 on the weekend at Volcanoes Stadium. Their lone defeat of the weekend was to the Lady Dragons 16U squad that featured athletes from Dallas and Central High School, both 5A schools.
“It feels good. I think now we know what i feels like to be in a big game like that, we know how to act. You’re going to have nerves, but we know how to work through that now and now we got to work for next season now,” said Addie Bishop.
Bishop struck out ten batters in six innings of work, including six in their 5-2 victory over the Lydo’s Lab Gold 16U squad to open the day. Hadley Lulay drove in three runs on four hits as they begin a relatively short run with Summer Ball.
This tournament was just one of three tournaments that they have scheduled to get some additional reps and see where they’re at and bridge this past Spring into next. Playing in a 16/18 tournament, they were able to see different pitches and use the help of some of their recently graduated seniors, like Mayla Manning, as on-field coaches to help bring the younger girls up to speed.
“It’s going to be important because we’re going to have to replace our catcher, shortstop and outfielder. Having Mayla here is awesome because she’s functioning as a coach out there, so she’s helping the younger kids on ‘this is where I go. This is how I cover this, this is what I need to do,” said Kathy Bonhke. “And the same at catcher. They got reps during the Varsity season, but we want them to be prepared for next year, it’s going to help out a lot.”
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
