Shy. Very, very shy. Upon meeting Lompoc's Jeana Carrillo , you see a tall, slim, pretty girl frequently shrouded in oversized outerwear, trying to blend into the crowd. She's the type who quietly gets good grades, works the clock at the freshman and JV basketball games with her friend Jackie, and wouldn't talk over the P. A. system if you threatened her life. Dependable, nice, polite, hard-working, and one of the fastest texters around.
Unfortunately for her, this LHS junior has blown her cover. The first cracks in her mild-mannered persona began to show last winter when she slipped and fell in the bleachers at Paisola Pavillion and fractured her elbow. She hid the sling under a coat and carried on as if nothing had happened. Add tough. Then this spring, she spent an almost obsessive amount of time working on her game. She could often be seen at the field in the gathering dusk, pitching alone for hours to whomever she get to catch for her. Add determined.
So, with their backs against the wall, 0-3 in league and facing the top two teams in the LPL this week, the Braves put the ball in her hands. She responded - two complete game shutouts. Against Templeton, led by All-CIF First Teamer and Dartmouth-bound Kat Hicks, she scattered 3 hits, struck out six, and walked none.
Friday, the Cabrillo Conquistadors came down the hill, and it was another classic contest. Cabrillo put sophomore Adrianna Segura in the circle and she pitched well, allowing only seven singles. It was 0-0 in the top of the fifth when the Braves got a walk and a stolen base from Mellissa Morrison. Elicity Fabing's roller to short resulted intwo fielders choice throws that were late a both first and third. Leanna Corral then dropped a bunt in front of the plate - in the resulting confusion a run scored, and the runners moved to 2nd & 3rd. Paty Martinez's single just past second scored both runners. Segura was able to close down the Braves the rest of the way but the damage was done.
The last two innings Cabrillo was unable generate much offense. In the top of the sixth, an error allowed Kelly Brown on base, but she was erased attepting to steal when, after two long fouls, the batter struck out. No other Cabrillo runner reached base the rest of the game.
The Conq's have been starting three freshmen & three sophomores lately. They have also been without starting catcher Levina Linderholm much of the season, and have recently suffered other injuries at the position, but Cabrillo Head Coach Doug Meeder was not interested in excuses saying - "We played well, we just got out-executed".
Carrillo ? Well, following a strike-out, she ended the game by inducing an easy comebacker to the circle that she pounced on and threw to first for the final out, before scuttling to the dugout to help put the equipment away. The line? Seven innings (25 batters), 2 hits, no runs, no walks, and 14 strike outs. Add good, very, very good.
Yup, consider her cover well and truly blown. Now when she steps into the circle in the middle of a softball diamond she turns into one of the best pitchers in the LPL. She will be unable to continue to hide in the crowd, and if she isn't careful might actually get her picture in the paper.
Unfortunately for her, this LHS junior has blown her cover. The first cracks in her mild-mannered persona began to show last winter when she slipped and fell in the bleachers at Paisola Pavillion and fractured her elbow. She hid the sling under a coat and carried on as if nothing had happened. Add tough. Then this spring, she spent an almost obsessive amount of time working on her game. She could often be seen at the field in the gathering dusk, pitching alone for hours to whomever she get to catch for her. Add determined.
So, with their backs against the wall, 0-3 in league and facing the top two teams in the LPL this week, the Braves put the ball in her hands. She responded - two complete game shutouts. Against Templeton, led by All-CIF First Teamer and Dartmouth-bound Kat Hicks, she scattered 3 hits, struck out six, and walked none.
Friday, the Cabrillo Conquistadors came down the hill, and it was another classic contest. Cabrillo put sophomore Adrianna Segura in the circle and she pitched well, allowing only seven singles. It was 0-0 in the top of the fifth when the Braves got a walk and a stolen base from Mellissa Morrison. Elicity Fabing's roller to short resulted intwo fielders choice throws that were late a both first and third. Leanna Corral then dropped a bunt in front of the plate - in the resulting confusion a run scored, and the runners moved to 2nd & 3rd. Paty Martinez's single just past second scored both runners. Segura was able to close down the Braves the rest of the way but the damage was done.
The last two innings Cabrillo was unable generate much offense. In the top of the sixth, an error allowed Kelly Brown on base, but she was erased attepting to steal when, after two long fouls, the batter struck out. No other Cabrillo runner reached base the rest of the game.
The Conq's have been starting three freshmen & three sophomores lately. They have also been without starting catcher Levina Linderholm much of the season, and have recently suffered other injuries at the position, but Cabrillo Head Coach Doug Meeder was not interested in excuses saying - "We played well, we just got out-executed".
Carrillo ? Well, following a strike-out, she ended the game by inducing an easy comebacker to the circle that she pounced on and threw to first for the final out, before scuttling to the dugout to help put the equipment away. The line? Seven innings (25 batters), 2 hits, no runs, no walks, and 14 strike outs. Add good, very, very good.
Yup, consider her cover well and truly blown. Now when she steps into the circle in the middle of a softball diamond she turns into one of the best pitchers in the LPL. She will be unable to continue to hide in the crowd, and if she isn't careful might actually get her picture in the paper.
Braves assistant coach Al Lara reached back into the family and historical vaults to pull out a motivational tool for the girls on Friday. Recalling a practice used by his daughter Tonya and her Lompoc teammates in the late seventies, he suggested paint. Facepaint that is. The Braves "warrior" faces were matched however, by the Cabrillo's girls facepaint patterns in black. You don't want to know about the chicken hats.
--- el stato
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