By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Pride softball off to best start in program history
Pitman Softball 1
Claire Fountain is one of Pitmans senior starters this year and after seven games is hitting .500. - photo by Journal file photo

 

Pitman High’s varsity softball team is already off to the best start in program history at 7-0, after they swept through their bracket at the Rainbow Classic this past weekend with a perfect 4-0 record.

“We are hitting real well right now,” said Pitman head coach Joe Lewis. “All the girls I’ve had up since freshman year, and Claire as well, Holland, Morgan and Lehua have been on the field and have been great.”

Holland Henson, Lehua Deleon and Morgan Aguiniga have each been on the varsity squad for all four seasons and have been the staple for the Pride’s early success so far.

After seven games, Deleon (.640) and Aguiniga (.680) are among the top hitters on their team with two of the top three batting averages. Henson is hitting .438 in 18 plate appearances so far.

Claire Fountain (.500) is the only other senior on the roster that boasts 14 players for Lewis, the most he has ever had on a team.

“I haven’t seen a group like this, 14 is the most, and they are extremely tight group and it’s great to watch,” said Lewis.  “None of our softball teams have started 7-0, none of us have, and they have some school records and they are staying positive and they are a tight knit group.”

Last year, the team was building and working towards this season after they went 11-11-1 overall and 6-6 in the CCC.

Pitman won four of their last six games to end the year.

Currently, the squad is also starting three freshmen, including the pitcher and catcher.

Gabby Deleon has been pitching so far this year, while Maddy Insell has taken over the catching duties.

“Add Kai DeLeon, which is Lehua’s sister and she can play everywhere, the entire team is hitting and playing well right now,” said Lewis. “We just need this momentum from preseason to roll over to league.”

In six of their seven games, the Pride have racked up double-digit runs, including two 20-plus run games.

They have currently outscored their first seven opponents, 105-8.

“Gabby has been pitching well, she only gave up four hits once in seven games, the other games were all three. (She0 moves the ball around well,” said Lewis. “I feel we are great, we are young, seeing how we’ve been playing, we have the right group and if they continue to do what they’ve been doing we will compete.”

Now, the goal is simple, to win the CCC, but Lewis knows he is going to need the help of his senior leaders for that to happen.

“Their goal is to win CCC, and knowing this is the last year in it, the girls would like to do that and say that the last title was won by Pitman,” Lewis added. “They know how competitive our league is this year, every team in the CCC at the tournament we were in did well, lot of competition in league.”

Pitman will open up league play on the road at Golden Valley High at 4 p.m. Tuesday.