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Upholding tradition

Sickles' softball team is young, but the Gryphons are winning anyway.

By TERRY JONES
Published March 25, 2005

CITRUS PARK - Earlier this year, coach Angela Munchel took the reins of Sickles High School's tradition-rich softball program with no seniors, only two juniors and a roster filled with sophomores and freshmen.

In less than a decade of softball, the Sickles Gryphons have won a state championship, placed second once and have never recorded a losing season. Now it was up to a young crew to continue winning.

"I knew we would be starting fresh with a lot of young players," Munchel said. But, "through the efforts of other coaches and years of the girls playing together in the Citrus Park Little League and travel teams, the girls all came to Sickles with experience playing together."

So they win games. Entering the spring break, Sickles was 7-2.

Only Chamberlain High School, which is ranked in the top five in the state in Class 5A, beat the Gryphons.

At the plate, on the bases and on defense, the Gryphons are always aggressive, Munchel said.

"They are always on the attack," she said.

In the first nine games, Sickles scored 65 runs and gave up only 28. To ensure cohesiveness in all aspects of the Gryphons' game, Munchel makes sure each player is reliable in multiple positions. Every player can fill in for another in two or more places.

"That makes us solid, even in the event of sickness or injury of a player," the coach said.

The pitching rotation is not dependent on a single ace, although freshman Khrystyne Ely has surfaced as the pitcher with the most innings on the mound.

She has a 2.60 ERA in 35 innings of pitching. In addition to her time in the regular rotation, Ely is also the cleanup pitcher. She has a batting average of .214.

Another freshman, Danielle Chapman, is the No. 2 pitcher. In more than 18 innings, she has an ERA of 2.62.

Freshman Katie Forbes and sophomore Richelle Mirabal are also in the rotation, but pitch mostly as backups.

Trisha DeBold and Morgan McGuire, both freshmen, are the top hitters for Sickles. Both hit .500. DeBold is the designated hitter, and McGuire plays in the outfield and infield.

McGuire is one of the fastest players on the team and gets on base with bunts.

Leadoff freshman hitter Hanna Ojeda also has speed and an on-base percentage of .414. She has no errors as an infield defensive player and has scored eight runs.

Two sophomores, Angela Blockburger and Katie Ely, are reliable leaders on the Gryphons' defense and help guide the team with consistency.

Blockburger hits .360, with a pair of doubles and three RBI. She has an on-base percentage of more than .400 and she has only one error in nine games at second and third base.

Ely is the starting catcher and field general. She also plays shortstop when needed and has only two errors for the season.

Shannon Federico and Jessica Martinieri are the two juniors. Federico is a pinch hitter, and Martinieri helps with the outfield play.

Nadirah Nesfield, Chloe Crooks and Lacy Minton are a trio of sophomores who beef up the lineup as backup players. Minton helps behind the plate and in the outfield.

Crooks has a strong glove, hits .313 and has six runs, plus three RBI. Nesfield hits from the left side and is a quick slap bunter. She plays in the infield and has also put five runs on the scoreboard.

Jeannine Ray and Courtney Flach round out the lineup. The freshman pair both hit more than .200 and help with outfield defense.

"Our girls have good chemistry and think like a team instead of like individuals," Munchel said. "In our first team meeting they set as their top goal to become a family, and it is working."

[Last modified March 24, 2005, 08:15:13]