Beaumont High’s softball team continued to pound the ball on Tuesday.
The Cougars hit three more home runs to bring their nine game total to 11.
That was more than enough to register an 8-0 Mountain Pass League opening victory over visiting Tahquitz.
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Beaumont (6-3, 1-0) resumes MPL play on Friday against visiting Citrus Hill.
“I’m a little surprised but all the girls have been working very hard in the offseason,” Beaumont coach Jim Tickemyer said. “All the girls played year-round travel ball. They are really putting up the runs now.”
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Beaumont settled for a second place finish in the MPL last season and lost just one player from that team. Among the returners are seniors Lauren Hernandez (outfielder), Jayme Tickemyer (third base) and MPL Offensive Player of the Year Kristen Neil (first base).
“Last year the team came together really well,” Coach Tickemyer said. “We were a young team and had only one senior in the lineup.”
Of Beaumont’s three league losses last year, three were by one run and two came in extra innings to eventual league champ Heritage.
Neil batted .459 last year. This year she won’t be the only batter teeing off against opponents. This season alone the Cougars have registered three games with multiple home runs, including five in a win over Indio.
“This year we are really hitting the ball,” Coach Tickemyer said. “We are really banging the ball good.”
Junior pitcher Alyssa Fuimaono tossed a 3-hit shutout and struck out eight batters in Tuesday’s win over Tahquitz. And she kicked things off with a home run in the bottom half of the first inning. She was 2 for 3 at the plate with three RBI.
It was a good start for the three year starter, who last season struck out 235 batters in 23 games.
“She has a good screwball and a good change up,” Coach Tickemyer said. “She keeps them off balance and has good velocity.”
Stephanie Tickemyer was 3 for 4 at the plate with a fifth inning home run and drove in two runs.
A third home run was turned in by Bernadette Moreno. Moreno and Elena Ortiz both drove in runs.
