After a low-scoring, opening-season loss, the Malibu High School softball team is ringing up the points.
So far this season, the Sharks have outscored their opponents 44-28. On Saturday, Malibu outscored Cate High by 15 points, as they improved their record to 2-2.
After the Sharks 16-1 road victory over the Rams, MHS head coach Mark Cooley said, including the scoring, a little bit of everything factored into the win.
“Keys to today’s victory were good base running, generating runs by stealing bases, good hitting and very few errors,” said Cooley, who is in his third season of coaching the team. “Great defensive play. Our pitching was on today.”
Malibu began the season with a 9-3 loss to the Flintridge Prep Rebels on March 10. After that low-scoring affair, the Sharks have scored 16 points in a win over Viewpoint High and eight points in a one-point loss to Bishop Diego High.
Cooley said the Sharks have been getting on base any way they can. That includes conventional ways, such as base hits and bunts, and unconventional ways, like being hit by a pitch or running to first base on a third strike that is dropped by the opposing catcher.
“We have to work hard to get every single run we get,” he said. “I tell the girls we have to take every advantage the other team will give us.”
Heading into their Thursday afternoon game at Simi Valley-based Grace Brethren High, the Sharks will be looking to push their record over .500.
Cooley is preaching patience to his squad early in the season, though.
“We are still relatively young,” he said. “About half the team has played softball before.”
Six members of the Sharks’ 14-member roster have never played competitive softball before, so Cooley said he will be leaning on the Sharks’ returning players, who are all juniors, during the 15-game campaign.
“I am expecting them to work hard as they always do,” he said.
The returning Sharks include first baseman Xena Amirani, second baseman and outfielder Hali Norris, and third baseman Rachel McConnell. Twins Molly and Emma Gallagher are also returnees. Molly pitches and plays shortstop, while Emma plays catcher.
During the season-opening loss to Flintridge Prep, Malibu managed to garner four hits, while the Rebels had 11. The Sharks’ five errors in the contest proved to be costly.
Two days later, the Sharks bounced back and beat Viewpoint High, 16-9. The Gallaghers led the way for Malibu. Emma had three hits, including an RBI and a double. She also scored two runs and had three stolen bases. Molly scored four runs, had one hit and stole six bases.
In the game, Norris scored five runs for Malibu and had two hits and a RBI. McConnell had three RBIs and a run and a hit. Amirani scored two runs and Stern and junior outfielder Shelsy Ortiz each scored a run. Stern also had a hit and an RBI.
On March 17, the Sharks lost a hard-fought game to Bishop Diego, 9-8. After the Sharks grabbed the lead by scoring five unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh innings, Bishop Diego outscored Malibu 2-1 in the eighth inning to win the game. McConnell led the Sharks with two hits, three runs and three RBIs in five at bats.
Cooley said he expects the girls to get better each day.
“Go out there and keep chipping away and good things are going to happen,” he said. “Our motto is, ‘You may beat us, but you can’t outwork us.’”
Cooley said the tough thing about the season will be competing against teams that have players who play softball year-round, whereas the Sharks will only be together on the diamond for four months.
“There are many layers of playing ball,” he said. “You have to know every aspect of it to compete. It’s tough.”
Softball camp
The City of Malibu Parks and Recreation Department will be conducting a three-day softball camp at Bluffs Park, 24250 Pacific Coach Highway, from March 31 to April 2. The camp will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day.
The camp is open for youth ages seven to 14.
Parents can register either at the park the morning of the camp or at malibucity.org/register.
