The question mark for the Monrovia High School softball team this season had been pitching.
Wildcats coach Dave Guzman had no question that sophomore Britney Lopez would deliver. The question was how long that might take.
The sophomore is doing very well, thank you. She has helped the Wildcats to a 5-0 start in Rio Hondo League play.
“I was not sure she could handle the pressure of varsity,” Guzman said of Lopez. “She’s adapted very well and been successful. She’s a very methodical pitcher. We’re 100 percent confident in her abilities. Over time this season she has become more confident in her own ability. She has become a very seasoned varsity pitcher.”
Lopez has an experienced catcher to work with in senior Tanya Galvan, who has signed a national letter of intent to play at Cal State East Bay. Guzman has let his catcher make all the pitch calls.
“She has helped a great deal,” Guzman said of Galvan. “With her maturity she has been able to calm Britney down and help with her confidence issues.”
Monrovia plays host to South Pasadena on Friday and then plays La Canada (7-6, 3-1) in back-to-back games next week.
The Wildcats (13-4) opened with two wins, suffered back-to-back losses and then had big wins to keep Lopez confident, Guzman said.
Another sophomore who has stepped up is infielder Vicky Gutierrez. She hit two home runs in Tuesday’s 15-4 victory over South Pasadena. She is batting better than .500 this season.
“It’s a confirmation of where we knew she should be,” Guzman said.
Arcadia learns about perseverance
First-year Arcadia coach Richard Klumpp has a different fielding drill than most high school teams. He calls out situations and then asks for an immediate response.
“I want them to answer quickly,” he said. “Time is of the essence. They are all athletes. I want to teach them the mental part of the game. I want them to know what to do and how to do it. It’s the hardest thing to do.”
The Apaches (8-1, 4-1) suffered their lone loss to heavily favored Burbank, 4-1, in a Pacific League game. The teams were tied at 1 and an error pushed across the winning runs.
“We’re not afraid of them,” Klumpp said. “I teach tenacity and perseverance; to never give up. I want to teach them to be unselfish.”
Freshman Susan Harrison has made a huge step as the team’s catcher, and Marymount-bound Katelyn Morreale has had a big senior start.
“She is doing so much better this year,” Klumpp said of Morreale. “She is swinging the bat and not trying to crush the ball. She always carried the team on her chest. I’ve told her to not worry about the small things she has no control of.”
In Tuesday’s 3-2 nine-inning win over Glendale, Morreale had two singles up the middle and slid home with a big run.
Arcadia plays at Burroughs (13-2, 5-0) today.
