Softball: Vikings seniors ready to cash in on second chance

Second chances don’t come along every day, and it is even more rare to get one when it comes to the realm of sports.

That being said, a second chance is exactly what the Lady Vikings of Perkiomen Valley will get when the 2011 Pac10 softball season gets under way at the end of the week.

The Vikings, 14-4 in the Pac10, 18-6 overall, last season advanced to the third round of the District One playoffs and were one out away from the semifinals before dropping a heartbreaker to Coatesville. They did so without having a senior on the squad; that’s where the second chance comes into play.

In a scenario that virtually never happens, Manager Dan McLaughlin, in his third season, finds himself in the enviable position of having his entire starting lineup back this season--with a kicker.

Center fielder Sara Sermarini, who was injured most of the season last year, is healthy and ready to snag anything hit her way in the expanses of the Perkiomen Valley outfield.

“I don’t think it ever happens,” said McLaughlin. “I not only have everyone back, it’s like I got a free agent as well with Sara being back healthy. We are in a brutal league, but I think we have the ability to compete for the Pac10 title. I think the girls learned a lot about putting teams away when you have the chance, in that Coatesville game.”

Perk Valley tied Boyertown and Spring-Ford for a share of the regular season Pac10 title, even after dropping a couple of games in which they led late.

As such, slamming the door on team when they get a lead, to a person was the focus of conversation following a 13-0 drubbing of Upper Dublin last week in a scrimmage.

“We lost a couple of games that we should have won last season,” said Tori Marcavage, who recently signed her letter of intent to play softball at Kutztown next season. “If we are going to get back to districts and states we need to finish team off when we have them down. We learned a lot last year about that, the hard way.”

With first team Pac10 first baseperson Jess White and honorable mention Pac10 Alyssa Morales manning the corners, and the combination of Brittany Shoemaker and junior Erin Hamm up the middle, the Vikings defense will present a challenge to any lineup.

“I am really looking forward to getting started,” said White. “We all have worked really hard all winter and spent a ton of time hitting. We are a year older and hopefully smarter, and I think we have the potential to have a very special season.”

As last season, the Vikings will ride the capable right arm of senior 1^st team All-Pac10 Tori Marcavge, with the backstopping duties being handled by Andrea Conte.

“Andrea does a great job back there,” said Marcavage. “I have total confidence in what ever pitch she calls, and I know she is going to make the play if I don’t hit the mark.”

The Vikings time in the batting cages has paid off thus far in the pre-season as they have been ripping the cover off the ball and ravaging every pitcher they have faced to the tune of a 23-0 in their 42 scrimmages.

In a league that remarkably eight out the 10 squads qualified for the district playoffs a year ago, there is no room for error on the schedule, hence Perk Valley will have to bring its A game every day to reach the lofty goals set by the seniors and manager.

“We need to play our bets every game,” said Conte. “We have played together for a very long time and this is our second chance to win a championship, we have to be ready to take on anyone that we line up against, if we play like what we are capable of, no one will beat us.” 

The pieces are in place, the groundwork has been done, if the Vikings play to their abilities in this rare second chance, the only team that can’t beat them may be themselves.