Oak Ridge has played some top teams and has lost as many games as they've won this season with a 6-6 record, but the Trojans are learning and growing and looking forward to a competitive season in the Sierra Foothill League.
The Trojans were riding a four-game win streak heading into yesterday's non-league game at Christian Brothers, but dropped the game 8-5. Oak Ridge fought back from down 3-1 and 5-4 to give the Falcons a tough game. With the game tied at five with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Christian Brothers rallied for four straight hits, scoring three runs, to take an 8-5 lead.
Oak Ridge's first two batters in the top of the seventh, Bailey Cook and Amber Orchard, singled, but Christian Brother's pitcher Kira McKechnie got the next three batters out to end the threat and the game.
"Those games sting to lose, but they're also good for us," Oak Ridge coach Mike Martis said. "We've got a young team and we need to go through games like this. We've had a couple like that already."
The Trojans have played some tough competition, as four of their six losses have come against top-10 ranked teams. In the loss to Christian Brothers, the Trojans were facing McKechnie, who's a Division I scholarship pitcher.
"We haven't shied away from tough competition," Martis said. "That will make us better."
The Trojans have shown a potent offense through 12 games, scoring 88 runs for an average of seven a game. Martis said Sky Divinagracia and Cook have been the team's top offensive players.
"Sky's been very consistent and Bailey has hit well," Martis said. "Really, a lot of people up and down the lineup have been hitting well."
Junior Reagen Jacobs and sophomore Ally Orman are the team's pitchers and it's been on-the-job training for the girls.
"They're still developing," Martis said. "Reagen was on varsity last year, but didn't pitch a lot and Ally played on JV."
Martis is looking forward to playing in the Sierra Foothill League, and he feels the team's non-league schedule has helped prepare the team for league play.
"It's a competitive league and I don't see anyone running away with it," Martis said. "Woodcreek and Rocklin will be dogfights and Del Oro always has a solid program. We've got a young team and a lot of girls are playing new positions. It's going to be on-the-job learning and they've done a good job so far. We ask them to battle and not give up and they've done that."
Despite the losses against the top-level teams, the Trojans have won their first two league games; defeating Nevada Union, 12-2 and Folsom, 15-3. Next week will be a challenge, as the team plays host to Woodcreek on Tuesday before traveling to Rocklin on Thursday. Both games begin at 4 p.m.
