STEVE T. GORCHES

Post-Tribune

After their debuts, Andrean sophomore Kaitlin Barajas and Portage freshman Haley Hodges must think this varsity softball thing is pretty easy.

The two youngsters played the first varsity games for their respective teams on Tuesday in the season opener for both teams, and both walloped home runs.
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Photos: Portage vs. Andrean

Barajas' blast -- a liner drilled well past the center field wall at Portage's field -- was a two-run home run that proved to be the difference as the 59ers defeated the Indians 3-1. It also came in her first varsity at-bat after playing JV last season.

"It just felt right," Barajas said, referring to several aspects of the at-bat, physical and mental. "Everything was right in my swing ... it was just right."

Andrean (1-0) needed the new varsity member to be right. Otherwise, it might not have defeated a young, scrappy squad led by Hodges.

Portage (0-1) coach Gil Arzola admitted before the season started it would be an interesting season with so many young players on the roster and playing key roles. It looks like he doesn't need to worry about Hodges, who plays the important position of cathcer.

Besides the home run in her second at-bat that cleared Portage's scoreboard in left field, Hodges also threw out Andrean's Meghan Bridgeman trying to steal in the fifth inning on a rare strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play in softball.

"We've yet to find someone who she can't throw out," Arzola said of his young catcher. "She's a straight-A student, very bright and fearless."

Defensively, it looked like the 59ers were anything but fearless. They were only officially charged with one error, but there were several missed chances and bobbles that gave Portage extra baserunners and opportunities.

The Indians loaded the bases in the third inning after a leadoff double from Natalie Korpak, who went 3 for 3 to start the season, a single from Kristen Ashby that was close to an error, but Ashby's speed probably would have beat the throw, and a base-on-balls to Rhiannon Smolar. But Dani Bryan flew out to left field, a catch that was also bobbled right on the foul line.

"Our normal pregame footwork wasn't quite there," first-year Andrean head coach Henry Ryan said. "I think it was more nerves at the beginning. I just wanted to get the show on the road."

Andrean scored an insurance run in the sixth inning using Ryan's philosophy that he's trying to instill into his team's powerful offense.

"I tell the girls, 'Get em on, move em over and get em in', and that's what got us the third run," he said.

Audrey Bickel led off with a scalded liner into right-center field. The outfielders got to the ball quickly, but that didn't stop Bickel from legging out a double. She moved to third on a deep sacrifice fly from Kelly Ryan and scored on a single from Morgan Moseley.

 

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