Mighty Oaks Softball Playoff Preview
May 3, 2024
By Al Muskewitz
The record-setting Salem Community College softball team will be out to make more history this weekend as the Mighty Oaks challenge a stacked field in the Region XIX Tournament at Mercer County Community College.
The Mighty Oaks posted a 29-12 record in their second season back on the field, a mark that included an 18-2 record at home and a school-record 19-game winning streak. They are the No. 4 tournament seed.
They open the double-elimination tournament Friday, 10 a.m., against top-seeded host Mercer (37-5). Three-time reigning region champion Delaware Tech (24-8) and Lackawanna CC (35-14) complete the four-team field.
A win in their opener will send the Oaks to play at 2 p.m. against the winner of the noon game. A loss will send them to stave off elimination at 4.
"We try to make that a goal since we started," coach Angel Rodriguez said. "The first year was obviously tremendous just even getting into the play-in and this year just the fact we're able to do it again. It's just something we're going to try and strive for every year. It's just great to see this group do it again."
Post-season play means everybody starts 0-0. It's a good approach for the Oaks, since they were swept by all three teams they could face during a five-day stretch in the regular season. Mercer, which received votes for this week's NJCAA Division II softball poll, held the Oaks to one hit in their doubleheader April 23.
"We had that conversation after our last regular-season game," Rodriguez said. "We did a reflection on all the good things that we did. We had a great regular season. We had a lot of players reach some good milestones and others pick up their roles, but we said we're gearing up to a new mindset now.
"We saw the teams we're going to face. We kind of know what's going to be thrown at us. We know adjustments we have to make, so we're working on that. We have nothing to lose. It's going to be fun and they're excited, but I think it'll be a little more different that we get the preparation and hope we can turn it around again.
"Against all three of those teams there was something in each game that wasn't us. One thing we've mentioned a lot with our squad is they haven't gotten our best yet. There were a couple times we weren't ourselves and they haven't seen that, I think that motivated them even more."
The Mighty Oaks roll into the tournament with a dynamic lineup, led by shortstop Ella Hayes. The freshman Player of the Year candidate from Kansas City, Mo., finished the regular season as the fourth-leading hitter in NJCAA Division II. She is batting .589 with 73 hits, 12 home runs and 75 RBIs. Amazingly, she has struck out only once in 171 plate appearances.
Their other top hitters include Karyn Trice (.491/.604 OBP); Courtney Hoggard (.439, 48 RBIs); Vaye Savage (.376, 7 HRs, 41 RBIs) and Haylee Pickrell (.343, 6 HRs, 27 RBIs).
"We pretty much have a solid (idea) of what we're going to do and just let everyone know to be alert," Rodriguez said. "We're relying on all 17 to really have some type of role. We geared towards that near the end of the season to get them prepared for this moment knowing that we're going to need all hands on deck and they're locked in and ready to go."
A hot pitcher in the playoffs can make all the difference. The Oaks have several pitchers at their disposal, led by Morgan Mecham (13-4, 1.94 ERA, 124 strikeouts, 97.1 innings) and Caitlin LaGreca (13-7). Mecham threw nearly 250 combined pitches in consecutive starts against Del Tech and Lackawanna, but did not face Mercer.
"We have a good gameplan that we're still working through," Rodriguez said. "The good thing is we have two pitchers who throw two different styles, so I think that's going to play a big role into what we're going to do on Friday.
"One of the things we've noticed with some of these teams is hitting slower spin pitching throws them off. I don't think we're going to ride one or the other, but we're definitely going to utilize them both in a way that's going to be a little bit different than what we did this year."
The record-setting Salem Community College softball team will be out to make more history this weekend as the Mighty Oaks challenge a stacked field in the Region XIX Tournament at Mercer County Community College.
The Mighty Oaks posted a 29-12 record in their second season back on the field, a mark that included an 18-2 record at home and a school-record 19-game winning streak. They are the No. 4 tournament seed.
They open the double-elimination tournament Friday, 10 a.m., against top-seeded host Mercer (37-5). Three-time reigning region champion Delaware Tech (24-8) and Lackawanna CC (35-14) complete the four-team field.
A win in their opener will send the Oaks to play at 2 p.m. against the winner of the noon game. A loss will send them to stave off elimination at 4.
"We try to make that a goal since we started," coach Angel Rodriguez said. "The first year was obviously tremendous just even getting into the play-in and this year just the fact we're able to do it again. It's just something we're going to try and strive for every year. It's just great to see this group do it again."
Post-season play means everybody starts 0-0. It's a good approach for the Oaks, since they were swept by all three teams they could face during a five-day stretch in the regular season. Mercer, which received votes for this week's NJCAA Division II softball poll, held the Oaks to one hit in their doubleheader April 23.
"We had that conversation after our last regular-season game," Rodriguez said. "We did a reflection on all the good things that we did. We had a great regular season. We had a lot of players reach some good milestones and others pick up their roles, but we said we're gearing up to a new mindset now.
"We saw the teams we're going to face. We kind of know what's going to be thrown at us. We know adjustments we have to make, so we're working on that. We have nothing to lose. It's going to be fun and they're excited, but I think it'll be a little more different that we get the preparation and hope we can turn it around again.
"Against all three of those teams there was something in each game that wasn't us. One thing we've mentioned a lot with our squad is they haven't gotten our best yet. There were a couple times we weren't ourselves and they haven't seen that, I think that motivated them even more."
The Mighty Oaks roll into the tournament with a dynamic lineup, led by shortstop Ella Hayes. The freshman Player of the Year candidate from Kansas City, Mo., finished the regular season as the fourth-leading hitter in NJCAA Division II. She is batting .589 with 73 hits, 12 home runs and 75 RBIs. Amazingly, she has struck out only once in 171 plate appearances.
Their other top hitters include Karyn Trice (.491/.604 OBP); Courtney Hoggard (.439, 48 RBIs); Vaye Savage (.376, 7 HRs, 41 RBIs) and Haylee Pickrell (.343, 6 HRs, 27 RBIs).
"We pretty much have a solid (idea) of what we're going to do and just let everyone know to be alert," Rodriguez said. "We're relying on all 17 to really have some type of role. We geared towards that near the end of the season to get them prepared for this moment knowing that we're going to need all hands on deck and they're locked in and ready to go."
A hot pitcher in the playoffs can make all the difference. The Oaks have several pitchers at their disposal, led by Morgan Mecham (13-4, 1.94 ERA, 124 strikeouts, 97.1 innings) and Caitlin LaGreca (13-7). Mecham threw nearly 250 combined pitches in consecutive starts against Del Tech and Lackawanna, but did not face Mercer.
"We have a good gameplan that we're still working through," Rodriguez said. "The good thing is we have two pitchers who throw two different styles, so I think that's going to play a big role into what we're going to do on Friday.
"One of the things we've noticed with some of these teams is hitting slower spin pitching throws them off. I don't think we're going to ride one or the other, but we're definitely going to utilize them both in a way that's going to be a little bit different than what we did this year."