Softball Opener: Lady Colts Fall to Oceanside

The warm temperatures are a welcome sight for Calhoun High School's athletes.  Unfortunately for the Lady Colts softball squad, the glare of the soon-to-be spring sun may have been a bit too distracting yesterday. 

A third inning error led to three runs for visiting Oceanside as the Colts lost their opener, 8-2.  Coach Jason Boland said he was pleased with his team's effort, as they continue to work out the kinks in preparation for league action.

"We hung in there with [Oceanside] for six innings, it was 3-2 with the tying run on third base," he said.  "That's what I said to them after the game, we can learn a lot from these games...this is the type of team we're going to be [seeing] when the games count for real."

With the game scoreless in the third and a runner on first, Oceanside's Kati Hoffman laid down a sacrifice bunt.  Calhoun pitcher Jessica Livingston pounced on it, and tried to get the lead runner, but her throw was off target.  Instead of two outs and a runner on second, it was first and third with one out.

"I thought I had her at second so I made the throw, it was a little off line and our shortstop didn't catch it...can't blame anyone for that," Livingston said.

Hoffman stole second, and Ashley Davis hit a two-run single to give the Lady Sailors the lead they would never surrender.  Davis would later score on a groundout to increase the lead to 3-0.

The Colts had their chances to get back in it.  Ashley Lowerre scored on an outfield error in the fourth, and in the fifth, Gianna Saladino scored without the benefit of a hit.  She came all the way home from first on a passed ball, followed by an errant throw by the catcher, pulling Calhoun within one.

Livingston led off the sixth with a triple, and a one out walk to Lauren Lucke set Calhoun up for a big inning.  However Kristen Gallub, who relieved Oceanside starter Ashley Davis in the fifth, would strike out the next two batters.  Rally over.

The Sailors would score five in the seventh off reliever Rebecca Suss to put the game out of reach. 

The third inning was the only blemish on the day for Livingston.  She walked one and struck out eight in six innings.  Her high pitch count in the Oceanside three-run third is the only reason she didn't pitch the whole game, Boland said afterwards.

"Jessica is a fantastic pitcher," he said.  "She was on track for a great game here today...she was up to 80 pitches, this early in the season that's too much for me."

Livingston, who joined the team in eighth grade, said communication was key as the season gets going.

"We need to improve on talking...saying where to throw the ball and where the best out is; we also need to look for outs other than the obvious outs," she said. 

Lowerre and Marisa Marcigliano each had two hits, but Boland said his team needs to be more aggressive at the plate.

"Whether they need to foul off a pitch, or just push the ball into play, unless we swing, we really can't get that run home," he said.

Boland said backing up plays and overall defensive awareness are two areas he plans to work on with his young team, featuring only two seniors.

"We're working these plays out," Boland says.  "We need to make sure those mistakes don't happen in the real [league] games."

The Colts will try and fix those mistakes in time for their next game, at home against North Shore on Tuesday.

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