Sometimes less means more.
That is a philosophy the softball teams at Eastern Tech and Western Tech take to heart. As two of the smaller high schools in Baltimore County and the metropolitan area overall, both teams have to make due with much less of a talent pool than other teams.
But that has not stopped them from hanging with the larger school in the county. Western Tech, a Class 1A school, went 15-5 last year and is the defending county champion. Eastern Tech, a 2A school, is coming off a 13-7 season.
Both schools? success comes with relatively small rosters. Eastern Tech (1-2) has 12 players on its team while Western Tech (2-1) has just 11. Eastern Tech coach Dave Scrivener and Western Tech coach Bryan Thanner both said that what their teams lack in depth, they make up for in work ethic. Scrivener added that he expects his team to be in the mix again this year, although the Mavericks lost their first two game before beating Thanner?s Wolverines, 1-0, on Monday.
“We?ve got good players, but just haven?t hit the ball well yet,” Scrivener said. “We?re not there yet, but we?re taking better swings.”
Scrivener and Thanner?s jobs are made slightly easier since each has a quality pitcher they can use each game. Unlike in baseball, the same softball pitcher starts most, if not all, games during a season.
For the Mavericks, that?s senior Michelle January, who struck out seven, allowed one hit and walked none in a complete-game win over the Wolverines. She likes the opportunity to be a difference-maker.
“It?s such a rush to get out there and know that the team relies on me every game,” January said. “Also, with the fast pace of the season, you don?t have to have breaks to think about the last game before moving on to the next one.”
Western Tech?s ace is senior hurler Jullianne Roper. Through Monday, Roper was 2-1 with a 0.37 ERA, 27 strikeouts and six walks in 19 innings.
“There?s a lot of pressure being a pitcher on a small team,” Roper said. “But as players, we really have come together over the last few years, and I like our chances to win this year.”
Examiner Top 10
1 » Chesapeake-AA
2 » Archbishop Spalding
3 » C. Milton Wright
4 » Glen Burnie
5 » Institute of Notre Dame
6 » Seton Keough
7 » Northeast
8 » Severna Park
9 » Hammond
10 » Western Tech
