COC HAS NUMBERS ADVANTAGE : TEAM CAN CHOOSE AMONG 4 PITCHERS.Byline: Scott Magoloff Daily News Staff WriterA quick examination of some basic numbers is all that is necessary to understand what is happening on the College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' team. Last year the Cougars lost in the first round of the regional playoffs after posting an 11-4 record in the Western State Conference. They accomplished this feat with the services of only one pitcher on their roster. This year, COC See chip on chip. coach Ray Whitten will have four pitchers at his disposal. The number, as well as their differences in style, will make substitutions and strategic pitching changes not only options, but team strengths. ``It'll be tremendous. Depending on the team we play, we can decide which pitcher will pitch,'' said Whitten, who is entering his 12th year at COC. ``All my pitchers also play other positions they'll be able to start at. It'll be an advantage I haven't had in years.'' First baseman Andrea Wintermute is one of only two sophomores on the team. She is the only player on the roster to have pitched at all last year, as she started and won one game in place of Stacy Champy, who pitched every other inning last year. Wintermute, along with fellow Highland High graduate Kelly Preston Kelly Kamalelehua Palzis Preston-Travolta (born October 13, 1962) is an American model and occasional actress best known for being the wife of actor John Travolta since 1991. Early life Preston was born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith in Honolulu, Hawaii. , are the two fastest pitchers for COC. Stacy Eastman, of Hart High, is a control pitcher A control pitcher is a pitcher who succeeds mostly by using accurate pitches, as oppose to a power pitcher who relies on velocity. By issuing a below average number of bases on balls he exhibits good control of his pitches. who has not played since her sophomore year in high school. ``I just got worn out,'' Eastman said. ``I missed it so much . . . I wanted to get back into the game and maybe get a scholarship.'' Erin Rodriguez rounds out the staff with what Whitten refers to as ``weird offspeed pitches.'' Offensively, Whitten said there is sufficient power and speed to compete for a conference championship and a spot in the state playoffs. Wintermute blasted a home run over the fence in Verb 1. fence in - enclose with a fence; "we fenced in our yard" fence inclose, shut in, close in, enclose - surround completely; "Darkness enclosed him"; "They closed in the porch with a fence" 2. COC's only game so far, a scrimmage that it won 13-1 over El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
What really has Whitten excited is his defense, which will be spearheaded by a shortstop he says is as good as any at the community-college level in the state. Chantal Pershing, of Burbank High, will be anchored at shortstop next to Nicole Giampaola, a third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker who is also a standout defensive player. Wintermute is another solid defender at first base, leaving second and catcher as the only infield spots that are still left wide open. Things will begin to fall into place more this weekend, as Canyons will play in the Cypress tournament for its first official games of the season. ``As a team, we need to find out what we need to work on to see what we can do this year,'' Wintermute said of the Cypress tournament. |
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