Looking at Oak Ridge High's softball team's record, 12-12 looks rather ordinary.
The Trojans, however, have played a difficult schedule. Eleven of the team's 12 losses have come to teams ranked in the top-20. Eight of those losses came against teams in the top-10.
Last week the Trojans played Ponderosa (20-2) and Woodcreek (19-1-1), teams among the best in the area that have three losses combined this season. The Trojans lost both games; falling to the Bruins 3-0 on Friday and suffering a 7-1 loss to Woodcreek the day before. Sometimes teams are just better and that was the case last week.
"It was a tough back-to-back," Oak Ridge coach Mike Martis said. "Our bats were quiet, but we made them work for it. We're confident that those losses won't deter our confidence. We're looking forward to our last three league games."
Against Sierra Foothill League-leader Woodcreek, Oak Ridge only managed three hits: two by Kendall Kelly, who also drove in the only run, which put the Trojans up 1-0 after two innings. Woodcreek scored two runs in the third and fourth innings and three more n the fifth to win the game.
In Friday's game against Ponderosa, Amber Orchard had both the team's hits against Terra Jerpbak, the Yale-bound pitcher who struck out 14 Oak Ridge batters.
"We just couldn't generate any offense against her," Martis said. "She's a really talented kid, who's also a good hitter. We couldn't figure her out, but she's done that against a lot of teams this season." Oak Ridge played the Bruins close, as the game was scoreless until Ponderosa scored one run off Reagan Jacobs in the sixth and another two in the seventh.
"Reagan had a nice outing and we played well in the field," Martis said. "They had 10 hits, so we made some plays and made it a ballgame."
Oak Ridge has three league games remaining. They play host to Rocklin on Tuesday and travel to Granite Bay on Thursday. The team's final regular season game is at home against Del Oro on May 5. The Trojans lost to Rocklin, 10-7 and Del Oro, 7-4 on the road earlier this season and will be looking to avenge those losses.
"We'd like to get our bats going again and finish the season with three wins," Martis said. "Granite Bay beat Del Oro so that shows what can happen on any given day. You've got to play the games."
