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Get on board with Extra Inning Softball’s regular feature, The Last Inning.
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at [email protected]. You can also send items/story ideas to Carlos Arias via email at [email protected] or via Twitter @Los_Stuff.
Here’s our TLI for Friday, Feb. 7, 2020…
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EXTRA INNING SCOUTING REPORT
With the 2020 high school softball season approaching, TLI will be taking a look at some of the top teams in the country with the Extra Inning Scouting Report.
TLI talked to Aliso Niguel High of Aliso Viejo, CA, coach Alan Caouette, who went 16-9, finished second in the South Coast League and lost in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.
Caouette coaches a Cal Cruisers team that won a PGF 12U Platinum national title in 2018, placed third at at PGF 14U Platinum Nationals in 2019 and is ranked #37 in the Extra Elite Eighty 16U Club Rankings. Caouette has six players from that Cruisers team on his Aliso Niguel squad, so the Wolverines will be young, but they look like a team on the rise in 2020.
Let’s get to the Extra Inning Scouting Report of …
ALISO NIGUEL
Top Returners:
- Amanda Johnston (2021, P)
- Victoria Griffith (2022, 2B)
Top Newcomers:
- Alex Caouette (2023, P)
- Chloe Lesko (2023, 1B)
- Casey Antrasian (2023, SS)
- Sarah Giovennellia (2023, CF)
What will it take for your team to be successful this season? We have one juniors, two soph0mores and eight freshmen. It will take the freshmen to adapt the the older high school girls and play with confidence.
Who is your No. 1 pitcher and what can you tell me about her skills? Who else could see some time in the circle? Top pitcher will be junior Amanda Johnston. She has a wicked change-up with a hard-breaking drop curve. Freshman Alex Caouette will be our other pitcher, who has a wicked curve to go with an over-powering screwball.
What can we expect from your offense? The offense has a blend of speed and power mixed in. The team handles the bat extremely well with speed on the base paths.
Did you pick up any impact transfers or did you lose any players to transfers? No.
Who are the potential All-Section/All-District/All-State players on your team? Amanda Johnston, Chloe Lesko, Alex Caouette, Casey Antrasian and Victoria Griffith.
Signed and Committed Players: None. We have a very young, talented team
BUNTING FUNDAMENTALS
TLI was fortunate enough to cover MJ Knighten when she played at Sunny Hills High of Fullerton, CA, and with the Corona Angels before she went on to become an All-American at Nebraska.
One former Freeway League coach — RIP Coach Takk from Fullerton High — had an unofficial rule that you always automatically walked the Knighten sisters — MJ and Shay — no matter what the situation on the field was. That’s how devastating the Knighten sisters were in high school. MJ was one of the most complete high school hitters TLI ever saw in action.
MJ is now an assistant coach at the University of San Diego. TLI came across this video where MJ is dropping some knowledge on bunting.
Click HERE to go to the link.
DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN
When you hit a screaming liner during BP …
If you don’t have fun when you train then what are you doing? Karen Kerley getting that swing right for the 2020 ACHS season to start up in a couple weeks. #teamdHB #softball #softballlessons #hittinglessons #softballlessons #fun #hardwork #dedication #training pic.twitter.com/esGAvlSEVJ
— Dustin Harrington Baseball (@dHBaseballNC) February 4, 2020
*** To read the rest of today’s The Last Inning, scroll down below…