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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 Thursday, January 16, 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 Coral Springs Charter High, FL, coach Mark Montimurro about his Panthers, who went 29-1, closing out the season with a 28-game winning streak, winning the FHSAA 5A state championship and finishing #6 in the final 2019 Extra Elite Eighty High School National Rankings.
Let’s get to the Extra Inning Scouting Report of…
CORAL SPRINGS CHARTER
Top Returners: Cassidy Crump, 2020, IF/P; Kiara Miekle, 2020, OF; Alina Varga, 2020, P; Bridget Dunham, 2021, OF; Alexis Johnson, 2021, IF/OF/C; Vicki Vasquez, 2021, IF/C; Brianna Godfrey, 2022, P/IF; Ciera Taylor, 2022, IF/OF; Taylor Golden, 2022, OF/IF; and Jesyne Espinal, 2023, P.
What will it take for your team to be successful this season? We will have to find a way to make up for all the offensive production that graduated.
Who is your No. 1 pitcher and what can you tell me about her skills? Who else could see some time in the circle? Bri Godfrey, Player of the Year as a freshman, returns as the #1 option. Alina Varga is a veteran presence that knows how to avoid sweet spots and is a master of enticing hitters into weakly-hit outs. Jesyne Espinal is a flame-throwing freshman that will see important innings this coming season.
What can we expect from your offense? Lots of short game, plenty of aggressive base running and hopefully some power in the middle of our lineup. The bottom of our order will lack experience, but has to offer production.
Did you pick up any impact transfers or did you lose any players to transfers? No transfer additions or subtractions.
Who are the potential All-Section/All-District/All-State players on your team? Bri Godfrey, Cassidy Crump and Bridget Dunham.
Signed and Committed Players: Alina Varga, UNC Greensboro; Cassidy Crump, Florida International; and Vicki Vasquez, St Johns River State College.
MENDOZA UNDER FIRE
Jessica Mendoza, the Mets advisor, ESPN MLB announcer and for Olympic Gold Medalist in softball, appears to be alright with cheating, just not snitching. At least that’s what some are accusing her of.
Mendoza ripped former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers for his role in exposing Houston’s sign-stealing scam, which led to the firings of manager AJ Hinch, general manager Jeff Luhnow and Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
“To go public with it and call them out and start all of this, it’s hard to swallow.”
–@jessmendoza on former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers revealing the Astros sign-stealing scheme. pic.twitter.com/LSQY6B0dSC
— Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin (@KeyJayandZ) January 16, 2020
“Honestly, it made me sad for the sport that this is how it all got found out,” Mendoza said on ESPN’s “Golic and Wingo” on Thursday. “This wasn’t something that MLB naturally investigated or other teams complained about because they naturally heard about and then investigation happened.
“It came from within. It was a player that was a part of it, that benefited from it during the regular season when he was a part of the team. When I first heard about it, it hits you like any teammate would. It’s something that you don’t do.”
Fiers blew the whistle on Houston’s shenanigans in an interview with The Athletic in November.
“I mean, I get it,” Mendoza said. “If you’re with the Oakland A’s and you’re on another team, heck yeah, you better be telling your teammates, ‘look, heads up, if you hear some noises when you’re pitching, this is what’s going on.’
“But to go public? That didn’t sit well with me.”
*** To read the rest of today’s The Last Inning, scroll down below…