Zarlino sets sights on 2006 as he rebuilds California High softball team
California lost seven starters from last year, but nobody counted the softball team out of the Section 1-A race until pitcher Amanda McKula went down with a rotator cuff injury. So, now, California has lost eight starters and the rebuilding process is on.
“We’re very, very young,” said coach George Zarlino. “I’ve got my work cut out for me.”
Zarlino specializes in teaching young pitchers, so he’ll get back to work with senior Laurel McCrory, who’s the only returning starter from last season, when Cal went 10-7 overall and 6-4 to finish third in Section 6-A. His assistant coaches are Ashley Snyder and Gary Rankin. McCrory will move over from second base.
Zarlino had worked with McKula in the off-season and the sophomore was up to 54 miles per hour on the radar gun.
“She was really zinging it,” Zarlino said. “Oh, I’m going to miss her. If Amanda didn’t get hurt, we’d have been super. It kind of put some ice down my back.”
Since Cal doesn’t have a fast-pitch feeder program, Zarlino has grown accustomed to slow starts. He doesn’t expect anything different this year, but believes third place is within the team’s grasp.
“We’re going to be a very, very young team but we’re going to be OK,” he said. “We might not be section champs, but we’re going to fight for the third playoff spot.”
Bentworth and Beth-Center are the teams to beat because of outstanding pitching. Geibel Catholic, Monessen, Frazier and California are evenly matched third contenders.
“Our girls are diehards,” Zarlino said. “We’ll make a move for the section next year. This year, we’ll be young but I expect us to get better. We’ll be alright.”
Some of the best talent is very young. Freshman Elizabeth Shaw will play catcher this year. Sophomore Maria Wohar, sister of former Cal All-Star Amy Wohar, will play shortstop.
The rest of the infield includes third baseman Amanda Coombs, second baseman Danielle Painter and sophomore first baseman Tori Bennett.
The outfield is being built around sophomore center fielder Ashley Marshall. Flanking her are Kayla Palyas and Eryn Thomas.
The first reserve will be infielder Shelby Brown.
“My girls always come up from slow pitch and don’t know too much about the game,” Zarlino said. “We have to teach them a lot through a series of one-on-one instruction, and after the exhibition season we improve. Our record shows that we improve. The last two years we missed the playoffs by one game.”
Last year, Bentworth 10-runned Cal in the first game but Cal turned the tables and won the second meeting.
Speed will mark the offense this year. The lead-off hitter is Palyas, followed by Wohar and McCrory, the No. 3 hitter. The clean-up hitter is Marshall.
And the defense?
“Our best defense is pitching,” Zarlino said. “Laurel is new, but she’s already up to 50, 52 (m.p.h.). We’ll be alright.”