Softball: Survival instinct

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Here’s what Newport Harbor High’s softball team had

to deal with so far. Sophomore Liz Lord, who hit .311 last season, left

to concentrate on Newport’s girls volleyball team. Junior Lisa

Huntington, the Sailors’ leading hitter last year, is out for two weeks

with an injured elbow. Finally, pitcher Stephanie Ciralli got hurt and

missed Newport’s first two games.

A 3-0 start barely constitutes a streak, but considering all the young

Sailors endured, it is impressive.

“This group of kids is playing really hard,” Newport Coach Jess Martinson

said of a Newport squad with six freshmen.

In the absence of Huntington, seniors Kristen Smith and Lindsay Moore

have stepped up. Smith, whose 12 RBIs were second-best on the team last

spring, hit for the cycle (single, double, triple, home run) in a 14-0

win over Saddleback. A two-time All-Newport-Mesa District player, she

plays third base.

In addition to her solid glove work at shortstop, Moore got off to a

torrid start at the plate.

“She’s hitting around .600 so far,” Martinson said.

Senior Jodi Dieckmeyer returns with a solid bat in center field. She is

joined in the outfield by junior left fielder Lauren Gallardo, who hit a

grand slam in an 11-3 win against Estancia, and sophomore right fielder

Brianne Parmeter.

Freshman Kim Moore picked up the wins in Newport’s first two games and

Ciralli will be the other half of the all freshmen pitching duo.

Foreign-exchange student Mariko Mikami filled in admirably for Ciralli,

pitching six innings as a starter against Estancia.

On the right side of the infield are freshmen. Amanda Campbell is at

first and Athena Vasquez at second. Martinson describes Vasquez, the

leading scorer on the Sailors’ girls basketball team, as one of the

team’s best athletes.

The Sailors’ defense is solid up the middle with Moore, Vasquez and

Huntington. After Huntington bounced around the field last year, the

two-time all-district player will primarily catch. She led the Sailors

with a .370 batting average and drove in 10 runs.

Junior Kelly Woods, as well as freshmen Sabrina Couch and Shelby Crisp,

provide depth.

Newport, which hasn’t won a league game in two seasons, will find Sea

View League play tough. But the Sailors have shown signs of hope in a

young season.

“If they continue to work hard, then they could go as far as their hard

work takes them,” Martinson said. “As they mature, they should be a very

good team.”

Roster

Amanda Campbell Fr.

Stephanie Ciralli Fr.

Sabrina Couch Fr.

Shelby Crisp Fr.

Jodi Dieckmeyer Sr.

Lauren Gallardo Jr.

Lisa Huntington Jr.

Mariko Mikami Sr.

Kim Moore Fr.

Lindsay Moore Sr.

Brianne Parmeter So.

Kristen Smith Sr.

Athena Vasquez Fr.

Kelly Woods Jr.

Coach: Jess Martinson