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Too wet for pop flies

There’ll be a new face in the dugout at Waupaca softball games this spring.

Stephanie Imhoff is taking the varsity program over after coaching the junior varsity team for three seasons. She replaces Kevin Guyant, who stepped down after the 2013 season after coaching the Comets to a 7-7 record in Eastern Valley Conference games.

The Comets are in the same situation as most other area softball teams, as they spent the first two weeks of practice indoors.

“If the weather would cooperate, that would make it a lot more easier because we’re going to be stuck inside,” Imhoff said. “We do what we can while we’re inside and hopefully, it’ll start to be sunny out. The parking lot’s been too wet to do pop flies and the rain and snow from last night didn’t help.

“It’s hard to be ready when you’re in the gym,” she said during a recent practice session in the Waupaca High School gym. “I hate gym practice and I will be the first one to tell the girls that. They’re here at 10 on a Friday morning on spring break. Their attitude is as good as it can be for what we’re dealing with right now.”

The Comets are scheduled to open the season at 4:45 p.m. Thursday, April 3, with an EVC matchup at Berlin, but that depends on the weather.

Imhoff realizes a late an unpredictable spring means the Comets will have to take things day by day, at least to begin the season.

“We’ll be playing a lot of doubleheaders,” she said. “That’s a guarantee already. It’s finding that depth in the pitching so we can get through 14 innings.”

Among Waupaca’s losses to graduate is Emerie Vasquez, who handed most of the pitching duties last season. Returning players with pitching experience include Tasha Smith, Lindsay Reach and Jolie Borntrager. Left-hander Ellen Ryder is also in the mix.

“We’ve got pitching, but not the experience on the mound that I appreciate,” Imhoff said. “We’ll have to figure that part out. It decides your games. If you don’t have a pitcher, you aren’t going to win games because you’re going to have walks and strong hits. That will be our main focus: finding how we’re going to work with those four to get through those 14-inning doubleheaders.”

Returning players include catcher Mandy Tomlinson, shortstop Brenna Oleson, second baseman Bobbi Sue Sell, first baseman Jessica Borntrager and Reach in left field.

“The one thing that will be looked at is if they’re returning to those same positions,” Imhoff said. “Kevin made those decisions and now I get to figure out where they’re going to fit the best. We’ll see if that’s where they’re best fit for.”

Imhoff is the first to admit that she doesn’t know a lot about the other teams in the EVC.

“I do know that Freedom’s always had that strong program, Winneconne has a lot of young talent, FVL’s been decent the last couple of years as well and Ripon has a really strong senior pitcher coming back,” she said. “I think we have a pretty strong conference. It’ll be a matter of seeing how everything plays out.”

While she may not now a lot about her competition, Imhoff, a former pitcher, does know what her team needs to do for a successful season.

“Being disciplined players, especially with the bat, is going to be key,” she said. “One thing that I like and that the girls will learn quickly is if you’re swinging at that first pitch, it better be at the belt. If you don’t make them work for it, they’re never going to throw pitches. The more you make them work, the more tired they’re going to get. That all comes into play.

“It’s being aggressive, but also being smart,” she said. “It’s following signs, listening to your coaches, keeping your head up, doing what we practice. One of my focuses is on being a team. It’s not, ‘I screwed up, the game’s over.’ You have to work through all of that. If you make an error, get over it. You have to have a smile on your face. If it’s not fun, it’s not worth being out there.”

 

Waupaca 2014

Softball Schedule

Varsity

Thursday, April 3 – at Berlin, 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 12 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont (DH), 1 p.m.

Tuesday, April 15 – vs. Clintonville, 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 17 – at Freedom, 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, April 22 – vs. Little Chute (DH), 4 p.m.

Friday, April 25 – at Appleton Xavier (DH), 4 p.m.

Tuesday, April 29 – at Winneconne (DH), 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 1 – vs. Berlin, 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, May 6 – at Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, May 9 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran (DH), 4 p.m.

Tuesday, May 13 – at Amherst, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 15 – at Clintonville, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, May 17 – at Wisconsin Rapids Invitational, 10 a.m.

Monday, May 19 – vs. Freedom, 4:45 p.m.

 

Junior Varsity

Tuesday, April 8 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 17 – at Freedom, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, April 25 – at Appleton Xavier (DH), 4 p.m.

Tuesday, April 29 – at Winneconne (DH), 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 1 – vs. Berlin, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, May 3 – at Ashwaubenon, 10 a.m.

Tuesday, May 6 – at Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, May 9 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran (DH), 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 10 – at Kimberly JV Invitational, 10 a.m.

Tuesday, May 13 – at Amherst, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 15 – vs. Little Chute (DH), 4 p.m.

Monday, May 19 – vs. Freedom, 4:45 p.m.

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