Medical Lake begins summer softball season

Play in Spokane Valley Girls league will help prepare team for 2012

By PAUL DELANEY

Staff Reporter

The next step in hopefully helping turn around the future fortunes of Medical Lake softball is being taken by Bruchi's 18U team in the Spokane Valley Girls' Softball Association.

Despite having to work practices around other activities, head coach John Higgins thinks his team is going to be as ready as they can be.

“We've kind of had to bounce a little bit around basketball and volleyball,” Higgins said. A number of his players have been trying to fit this new activity around other out-of-season camps, clinics and teams. “We haven't had a lot of practices but we're just coming off of softball anyway.”

Higgins said the girls that were playing during the school year “are pretty much all playing on this team.” They include Becky Troutt, Kelby Wagner, Kelsey Fisk, Jessica Baier, Hailey Cheevers, Rachel Crofoot, Trayce Lindley, Laura Robinson, Korina Urquidez and Faith Kiester. Cheney's Brianna DuFour, Maegan DuFour and Shay Turner are also playing on the team.

“Pitching wise I think we're going to be right in there, as good as anybody,” Higgins said. “Where we might struggle a little bit might be our hitting. “Improving on defense will be one of the focal points of the summer session Higgins said.

Higgins sees the league as being the right place to learn and practice for the 2012 Great Northern League season. “We may take our lumps a little bit but I think it's going to help us next year.

The team will play better teams – a variety of players come from GSL schools he said. “So we'll have to play up a little bit so it should really get us to go for next year,” Higgins said. “We're excited about getting going.”

The 18U group is just one of a half dozen that are representing Medical Lake this summer. “We've had a lot of summer programs going in Medical Lake,” Higgins said. “Our girls' program has increased tenfold.

“I think we have at least six different age groups of girls playing,” Higgins said. “The fields are used just about every night so that's good for the program.”

The older girls playing summer softball is something Higgins will just take partial credit for. He's quick to applaud the West Plains Little League for spiking interest in other programs. “The younger girls, thanks to (West Plains) Little League, I think that's helped out a ton.”

The team opened its season with a game last night (June 15) against WKA Innovations and will play the second of a 10-game schedule Friday, June 17 versus Spokane Teachers Credit Union at 6:30 at the SVGSA complex at East Valley Middle School. The team will play Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. A full schedule is available at: http://www.svgsa.org.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].

 

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