Story
Softball players provide a huge power surge in home runs this season
Friday, April 20, 2012
by
Jeff Greer
Four of the most accomplished softball pitchers in recent county history graduated after last season, but so did a handful of the area's most powerful hitters.
So, what explains softball's 2012 power surge? There were 22 large-school players and 19 small-school players (41 total) with two or more home runs over the regular season, which ended last Friday. There were 27 total with at least two homers over the previous two regular seasons.
"It's kind of a perfect storm," Park Vista coach Chuck Layman said. "Maybe the pitching is down, but there's also a strong group of young players."
Layman said the freshman and sophomore classes have several powerful hitters, including Palm Beach Gardens freshman Tiffany Lower, who's hit four home runs, and American Heritage sophomore Jessie Mohl, who has three.
But the biggest numbers have come from veteran sluggers. Gardens junior Ta'Coia Williams has an area-best nine homers, while Boca Raton senior Pepper Butler smashed six and American Heritage junior Corrie Boggess led small-schools players with five.
"Some of these girls are just gifted athletes," Boca Raton coach Jeff Lantz said. "Hitters are getting better at fouling off (outside) pitches, being patient, getting deeper into the count and seeing better pitches to drive."
There's another layer to the power surge: Palm Beach Gardens, ranked first in the nation by ESPN and MaxPreps, had a historic run through the regular season and could go down as the single best team in Palm Beach County softball history.
Palm Beach Gardens (25-1) hit 30 homers as a team en route to 225 runs in 25 regular-season games. In addition to Williams and Lower, senior first baseman Taylor Schwarz (five home runs), shortstop Liz Spring (4), catcher Virginia Spring (4) and pitcher Shelby Turnier (2) all have multiple home runs.
"That lineup, one through nine, is merciless," Central coach Mike Dudeck said. "You don't get a batter off, and a bunch of them have serious power."
Maybe Layman's right. Having the best team in the country, a slight dip in pitching talent and an increase in young batting prowess all in one county certainly seems like a perfect storm.
"Whatever it is, it's fun to watch," Layman said, "unless you're a pitcher."
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User Comments:
reallly?? commented on April 20, 2012 at 10:46 p.m.: report abuse
Huge surge in power this year? All of a sudden the hitters in this county learned how to hit for power over night? Well I seriously doubt it's steriods, might be time to check for alterd bats. It's not hard to buy one the Inter-net thats been shaved or rolled. I hope people arent nieve enough to think it's just plain good ole fashion batting pratice. There was an umpire caught in the parking lot of a local tournament altering bats.So don't think it doesn't happen people.
bellaer commented on April 21, 2012 at 7:23 a.m.: report abuse
please,how many were over the fence and how many were against the weaker programs.a good shot to the outfield of unexperienced players and run like ....
@bellaer commented on April 21, 2012 at 8:57 a.m.: report abuse
Auhhh...what???
power@surge commented on April 21, 2012 at 11:23 a.m.: report abuse
I don't mind the home runs, it's exciting. The lack of safety is my concern. When the pitchers are vulnerable at less than 40 ft on release and the corners are forced to play in tight to protect small ball with the bases at 60 ft., how soon until rule changes are made to protect the kids? Any kid is vulnerable, at that distance, the way ball comes off those bats these days Any suggestions other than cheerleading?.
Mandatory protective face masks for the corners and pitchers?
65-70' basepaths so the corners don't have to play so close?
Is there a way to quickly check if a bat has been tampered with and make the penalty two year ban from playing at any level, since it endangers someone's life?
Maybe starting in 2013, some sort of manufacturer's band across the cap, and if broken it must be sent back to the manufactuer to be replaced before being used again? Of course, all of the older bats would instantly be made illegal. $$$. Is preventing a kids serious injury not worth the price? The only ones complaining would be the ones with illegal bats.
Really??@power@surge commented on April 21, 2012 at 2:59 p.m.: report abuse
I agree 100% with you.Safety should be paramount. Unfortunately there really isnt a way to verify it "quickly" The University of Florida Gators softball team was the only team last year to have their bats checked at every game last year, but that was with some sort of machine. The only reason I know about it is because ESPN was reporting it.To see it with the naked eye from what I've read is almost impossible to do. And college baseball was having a problem with it also to the point where manufacturers where making the bats too hot out of the factory and had to tune the bats down so to speak. Whats even more disturbing is the fact an umpire was caught rolling bats in the parking lot in between games at a local tournament. This same guy called a few of the games I coached in over the years. Talk about a scumbag!!
@really commented on April 21, 2012 at 8:01 p.m.: report abuse
sometimes GOD gives certain people certain talents, and it could be the practice or the training
@really commented on April 21, 2012 at 8:05 p.m.: report abuse
Yeah......sometimes... guess he was more generous this year.
True players commented on April 21, 2012 at 8:25 p.m.: report abuse
They should have the bats tested at every game, if it would make you cry babies happy!!!! But you will only find something else to complain about
@really commented on April 21, 2012 at 8:33 p.m.: report abuse
this hitting didnt come overnight, if you knew any of these girls then you wouldnt have made that comment
hmm commented on April 21, 2012 at 11:09 p.m.: report abuse
naive naive naive
Are you serious? commented on April 22, 2012 at 12:14 p.m.: report abuse
It really does matter if you know them because these girls that your talking about saying that their hitting cam over night and not from hard work is rediculous and yes maybe one or two girls maybe doing these things but if you knew some of these girls that are the main hitters on these teams you would not believe how hard they work to be as good as they are today! So observe before you speak two of the people mentioned in this article go everyday and hit on tees and in cages for two to three hours every night! I think of that as dedication not cheating!
Are you serious? commented on April 22, 2012 at 12:15 p.m.: report abuse
It really does matter if you know them because these girls that your talking about saying that their hitting cam over night and not from hard work is rediculous and yes maybe one or two girls maybe doing these things but if you knew some of these girls that are the main hitters on these teams you would not believe how hard they work to be as good as they are today! So observe before you speak two of the people mentioned in this article go everyday and hit on tees and in cages for two to three hours every night! I think of that as dedication not cheating!
Are you serious commented on April 22, 2012 at 12:17 p.m.: report abuse
But you are right too! Some kids will cheat an that all goes back to the parents but give the kids some credit that work hard !
BS PEOPLE commented on April 24, 2012 at 11:24 a.m.: report abuse
Come on boy you people are as low as low can get!!!! Really why don't you guys realize that the girls are just good. So just becaue there are alot of Gardens girls in this article then people are cheating REALLY??? I think you need to come and watch what these girls do at practice and then at home. Then maybe you can comment on this article. Stop Hating because the girls do read this BS and that is what sucks!!!! Great Job to all of the girls that where mentioned in this article because everyone of you are awesome!!!!!!
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