Lady Rockets facing transition season
Scott Moore, the new Jefferson-Morgan softball coach, stopped coaching for Tom McCort last year in order to watch his daughter pitch for nearby West Greene. Moore would like to watch another pitcher – any pitcher – this year, but may instead oversee a transition phase. “Girls’ softball is all about pitching,” he said. “If you have pitching, you can do a lot of things.”
Jefferson-Morgan is off to an 0-3 start as it builds its staff with senior Kelli Waligora and sophomores Kristie Volchko and Carly Largent. Waligora is a converted shortstop while Largent was discovered after a recent practice.
“Kelli’s doing a nice job. I hate to make it sound like she’s not because she is,” Moore said. “But she’s a shortstop, maybe the best athlete in the section, and she’s helping us out on the mound. As for the sophomores, they need some time.”
Waligora and catcher Leah Balazick are not only the Jefferson-Morgan battery, but the leaders and offensive core of the lineup. They bat third and fourth, respectively.
“Most of the time you’re going to see five sophomores and a couple of freshmen in the lineup,” Moore said. “Growing pains are tough, and that’s what we’re going through right now. But we’re not getting blown out of games. We’re just having a hard time hitting the ball hard.”
Largent is one player not having any trouble hitting. Her .636 average leads the team, which finished fourth in Section 1-A last year with a 3-7 record, 6-10 overall.
Gone from last year’s team is graduated all-section outfielder Emily Falcon. Shortstop Erica Smoggie tore a knee ligament and is out for the year. Taking her place will be sophomore Brittany Coles. Sophomores Lindsay Bogdan and Largent are starting at second and third base. Junior Stephanie Hutchinson starts at first base.
“Our only seniors are at pitcher and catcher,” Moore said. “In a way, all of this youth is a nice problem to have because they’re very enthusiastic about winning. It hurt them to start off with three losses, but each game we have gotten steadily better and eventually we’re going to catch somebody because they’re starting to build confidence.”
The outfield starters are junior Jessica Johnston in center, sophomore Megan Haky in right and surprising freshman Charity McCann in left.
“The kids are working hard and they want to succeed and they know along the way we’re going to make mistakes,” Moore said. “But as long as we keep our heads up we’ll catch somebody. I don’t know who it will be but I just have that feeling we’re going to cause some problems in the section because the kids are that determined to win.”