Big Win Over B-CC Boosts Softball's Confidence

Watkins Mill junior Maria Sanchez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the fourth inning at Bethesda-Chevy Chase and ripped a ball into left-center field.

It appeared all three runners would score and Sanchez was on her way to an extra-base hit when the home plate umpire shouted “dead ball!” and declared Sanchez out for stepping outside the batter’s box. The runners were sent back their bases and Sanchez was left with nothing to show for her line drive.

“I was very angry,” Sanchez said after Thursday’s contest, “but I just let it go and didn’t let my team down.”

The following inning, Sanchez again came up with the bases loaded. This time, neither the Barons nor an umpire’s ruling got in her way. The cleanup hitter smacked a three-run triple into left-center and scored on a throwing error, part of a 12-run frame for the Wolverines, who won 20-2 in five innings.

“I had to do what I had to do,” Sanchez said, “[I’m the] fourth batter.”

Watkins Mill (1-1) excelled in every facet of the game against overmatched B-CC (0-2). The Wolverines pounded 10 hits, did not commit an error in the field and received a solid pitching performance from freshman Jennifer Valdez, who made her first varsity start in the circle. The team’s only shortcoming was a handful of awkward slides, some of which drew a laugh from head coach Jody Tyler, a Watkins Mill graduate who coached the program to the state semifinals in 2003 and 2004.

“I think it absolutely gives our girls more confidence,” Tyler said of the lopsided win. “We have a young team that hasn’t spent a lot of time playing together, so when they see each other being successful, then it helps them prepare themselves and be ready to do it themselves, as well.”

Watkins Mill started two seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and a freshman on Thursday. The Wolverines led 8-1 entering the fifth inning before erasing any doubt with a 12-run frame. Watkins Mill tallied seven hits during the outburst and benefitted from six bases on balls. Sophomore catcher Kelly Lewis had a pair of infield singles in the inning and Sanchez ripped an RBI single to go with her three-run triple.

The victory came two days after Watkins Mill opened its season with a 12-3 loss at Damascus.

“I think it will boost our confidence [and] show us that we can hit well and we can win and we can do all these things,” Lewis sad. “Going [against] harder teams, we’ll have that confidence.”

Sanchez, who finished 2 for 3 with four runs and four RBIs, is the Wolverines’ offensive leader. Defensively, she played first base on Thursday but is also the team’s No. 1 pitcher. She bats from the right side but throws left-handed.

“She’s always been our clutch hitter,” Tyler said. “She’s always been the one that I wanted in the batter’s box when we needed to score a run. She’s confident there, she’s happy there, she likes having that pressure on her.”

Lewis will also play a key role this season. She finished 3 for 3 with three RBIs while batting fifth against B-CC. Defensively, Lewis’ move to catcher last year changed the Wolverines’ approach.

“Nothing gets by her back there,” Tyler said. “She really has done an outstanding job. For a period of time, we didn’t have a catcher. It didn’t matter [what the opponent did] … the runners were going everywhere. Now I know I have someone behind the plate that will hold the runners on the bags and we’re going to be able to play defense instead of catch-up.”

Center fielder Madelyn Niffenegger is looked to for leadership as well as on-field production. The junior went 1 for 3 with two runs and an RBI while batting third against the Barons.

“She’s generally the definition of leader-by-example,” Tyler said. “She doesn’t say a whole lot [but] when she says something, everybody listens. She will work harder and push herself more than just about anybody else on the team. I think that causes the girls to really respect her.”

While Sanchez is the Wolverines’ ace pitcher, Valdez showed potential in the circle against B-CC. The freshman is still learning how to pitch—she only throws a fastball—but has the physical tools and raw athletic ability to one day be a standout.

“She’s got the length in her arms and her legs, she’s got some speed, she’s got all of the makings of a really great pitcher,” Tyler said. “We’ve just got to … teach her a lot more fundamentals. I’m very happy with the way she played today.”

Valdez allowed two earned runs and four hits while walking three, hitting two batters and striking out five en route to a complete game victory.

Senior second baseman Karen Rius went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI for Watkins Mill. Junior shortstop Dani De Leon had one hit and scored three runs and junior right fielder Eli De Leon scored four runs. Senior left fielder Nathaly Villalobos finished with one hit, scored a run and had two RBIs.

Watkins Mill will host Walter Johnson at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“I have big expectations,” Lewis said. “I really like our team. We have a good attitude and we just have a lot of fun together. I think we’re going to have good results.”

          1 2 3 4 5     R       H      E

WM  2 0 1 5 12   20     10     0

BCC  0 1 0 0 1     2       4       4

WP --- Jennifer Valdez (5IP, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 2HBP, 5K)

Watkins Mill key hitters: Maria Sanchez (2-3, 4R, 3B, 4RBI), Kelly Lewis (3-3, 3RBI), Karen Rius (2-3, 2R, RBI), Madelyn Niffenegger (1-3, 2R, RBI), Nathaly Villalobos (1-4, R, 2RBI)