Wolfpack news archive
(Media coverage of 2008 Claremont softball season)
Claremont Courier
April 19, 2008
“Losing skid continues for CHS
softball”
Ever since the Claremont
High School softball team defeated Rancho Cucamonga back on March 21, the
Wolfpack’s journey through the Baseline League has been anything but
smooth.
The rough road of league
competition continued for the Pack this week as CHS suffered setbacks at the
hands of Alta Loma and Rancho Cucamonga respectively this past Monday and
Wednesday.
Against the Braves, the
Wolfpack fell behind early, allowing 12 runs in the first inning before
eventually suffering a 16-6 defeat. Claremont’s Kelliner Croushore had a double
and a triple for the Pack in the loss.
While CHS had one of its best offensive outputs to date against the Braves, the Claremont offense struggled on Wednesday as the Cougars avenged an earlier loss to the Wolfpack, 6-0. In the away contest, the Pack tallied just 5 hits to Rancho Cucamonga’s 13.
Claremont will look for a measure of revenge against the Braves this Friday (April 18) as the second rotation of the Baseline League schedule begins. The first pitch will be thrown at 3:15 p.m.
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
April 16, 2008
“Baseline League”
Rancho Cucamonga 6, Claremont
Deziree Raya went 3-for-4 with three RBI for Rancho Cucamonga (8-10, 2-6). Alexa McPherson went 3-for-4 for the Cougars and Cortney Conrad (8-8) allowed five hits and struck out five with one walk. Claremont dropped to 3-17 overall, 1-7 in league.
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
April 14,
2008
“Baseline League”
Alta Loma 16,
Claremont 6
Jennifer Madigan and Melise Brown each had three hits to pace the Braves;
Madigan also had three RBI.
Two of Madigan's hits were triples. Hitting home runs for Alta Loma
were Kara Woodall and Olivia Wilcox. Alta Loma (12-6, 5-2) plays at 7 p.m.
Thursday at Red Hill Park. Kelliner Croushoure had a double and a triple for
Claremont.
Claremont Courier
April 5, 2008
"Number ‘9’ works against the Pack"
In both
games for the CHS varsity softball team this week, the number “9” carried a
measure of significance. The only problem was that it wasn’t in Claremont’s
favor.
After
suffering a 9-0 setback against Los Osos on Monday, the Wolfpack (3-13, 1-4) was
handed yet another loss versus Etiwanda on Wednesday,
9-2.
While
the Pack was held hitless against the Grizzlies on Monday, Claremont temporarily
had the Eagles grounded in Thursday’s contest. With Terra Ojeda and Vivian Serna
on base, Kelliner Croushore launched a shot to left field that brought in the
two runners to give the Wolfpack a 2-1 advantage in the 3rd
inning.
Yet the
CHS rally only seemed to awaken the Eagles, who scored 8 runs over the next 4
innings to emerge victorious. Wolfpack pitcher Lili Caughman struck out 6
batters while giving up 5 earned runs and 15 hits in the
loss.
Claremont will return to action on April 14 at Alta Loma. The first pitch
will be tossed at 3:15 p.m.
April
2, 2008
“Wolfpack scares Eagles”
For a few hopeful minutes
Wednesday afternoon, the upstart Claremont Wolfpack gave the powerful
Etiwanda sEagles all they could handle.
But fortunes soon turned grim,
and the home team Etiwanda Eagles rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Claremont
9-2 in the midweek game in Rancho Cucamonga.
Despite the final score,
Claremont showed spark.
Trailing 1-0 with two outs in the
top of the third, Claremont came to life. Terra Ojeda legged out an infield
single, followed by Vivian Serna’s single up the middle. With two runners on
base, Kelliner Croushore hit a shot to left field that sailed over the
left-fielder’s head. Ojeda and Serna scored on the double by Croushore, giving
Claremont a 2-1 lead.
It was not enough. Etiwanda
scored three times in the bottom of the third to regain the lead 4-2, they
scored once in the fifth, and broke it open with four runs in the sixth
inning.
Errors plagued Claremont, whose
pitcher Lili Caughman gave up just three earned runs through the first five
innings. A Wolfpack outfield error led to Etiwanda’s only run in the first; an
infield error kept alive the Etiwanda rally in the third, when only one of their
three runs were earned.
Caughman struck out six; and
Claremont bats fared well against Etiwanda star pitcher Maggie Karros. In
addition to hits by Croushore, Ojeda and Serna (two singles); Allie McKinley
stroked a double to right, while Lauren Lavarias also had a hit for the
Wolfpack.
Claremont plays Friday at Los Osos.
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
March 31, 2008
“Baseline League”
Los Osos 9, Claremont 0
Sophomore Erin Jones-Wesley threw
the Grizzlies’ (8-3, 2-2) first ever perfect game in school history striking out
16 over the Wolfpack. Jones-Wesley drove in a run and scored on her one-at-bat
for Los Osos. Brianna Meyer hit a two rum homer and also scored twice in her
team’s winning effort.
CHS
softball website
March
21, 2008
“Nail-biter victory"
The tenacious Wolfpack finally wore out the Rancho
Cucamonga Cougars in the 10th inning Friday, with
a dramatic come-from-behind victory. With tiebreaker rules in effect – a runner
at second to start the inning – Kristi Munoz drilled a line shot to right that
drove in the winning run for a 6-5 final.
It was a rollercoaster ride, starting with a
second-inning Claremont rally. A base-loaded single up the middle by Sarah Free,
and an error in centerfield, scored three runs (Lauren Lavarias, Lili Caughman
and Ryan Woodward). Vivian Serna later tripled, driving in Free for a 4-0
Wolfpack lead.
P Lili Caughman kept Rancho Cucamonga in check until
the fourth, when the Cougars scored three runs on four hits to make it 4-3.
Rancho took a 5-4 lead the next inning, when C Melissa Gregson hit a two-run
homer.
Claremont tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the
fifth when Serna singled and scored on a triple by Kelliner Croushore. Caughman
shut down Rancho Cucamonga the rest of the way, including a pivotal
ending-inning strikeout of slugger Gregson with the bases loaded in the sixth
inning.
The win completed a Claremont sweep of Rancho Cucamonga. Earlier on Friday, the Junior Varsity won 9-6; Frosh rolled 18-3.
Inland Valley Daily
Bulletin
March
21, 2008
“Baseline
League”
Claremont
6, Rancho Cucamonga 5 (10)
Kristi Munoz singled home
Kelliner Croushore in the 10 inning to give Claremont (3-11, 1-2) an upset win
over the Cougars (7-6, 1-2).
Croushore and Munoz were each 2-for-5 with an RBI. Due to
international tiebreaker rules, Croushore began the bottom of the 10th on second
base. Munoz, the first batter of the inning, drove her in.
Claremont
Courier
March 21, 2008
“CHS softball swings to first
win”
After 6 consecutive
losses to begin the 2008 season, the Wolfpack varsity softball squad were able
to find the right formula last Saturday against Western
Christian.
Trailing 2-0 after
the first inning, Claremont (1-9) rallied back, scoring a run in the 3rd, 4th
and 5th innings to defeat the Fighting Lancers, 3-2, when the smoke
cleared.
Junior pitcher Lili
Caughman was the lone multi-hit batter for the Pack on Saturday, going 2-for-3
and scoring a run. Caughman helped her cause from the mound as well as the
junior pitched 6 innings, struck out 10 batters and allowed just two hits en
route to her first win of the year.
Teammates Allie
McKinley, Jasmine Quesada and Kristi Munoz all recorded an RBI in the win.
Claremont totaled 7 hits in the contest as a team.
The first 3 days of
the Bonita Tournament were not as sweet for CHS, as the Wolfpack was on the
losing end of its games against Colton, Bonita and Northview from Monday through
Wednesday.
Claremont infielder
Lauren Lavarias’ two hits and 3 RBI's were not enough to prevent the Pack’s 7-5
defeat at the hands of the Yellow Jackets on Monday. Though Tina Molina, Vivian
Serna and Kristi Munoz each contributed two hits and an RBI in Tuesday’s
encounter against Bonita, the Bearcats’ consistent hitting was too much for CHS
in a 7-3 loss.
Wednesday’s matchup against the Vikings was more of a defensive affair for the Wolfpack and a scoreless standstill for nearly 6 innings until Northview scored 3 unanswered runs to claim a 3-0 win. Serna and Kelliner Croushore had the only two hits for Claremont, who committed 4 errors in Wednesday’s contest.
The Pack will finish its participation in the Bonita Tournament today and will host Alta Loma on Monday before playing at Upland on Wednesday and concluding the week against
Rancho Cucamonga on Friday. All Baseline League games kick off at 3:15
p.m.
CHS
softball website
March
17, 2008
“Rally
falls short”
Despite a two-run
home run by 2B Lauren Lavarias, and a last-inning three-hit rally, the Wolfpack
Varsity lost 7-3 to Upland on Wednesday at Greenbelt Park.
Upland scored three
runs in the first, and added three in the third before Lavarias homered to drive
in C Kristi Munoz. Claremont trailed 7-2 into the top of the
seventh.
Claremont woke up.
Lavarias singled and later scored to make it 7-3; CF Terra Ojeda and SS Vivian
Serna each collected their second hits of the game. But it it was not quite
enough. With the bases loaded, two outs and the tying run at bat, a
groundball forceout ended the game.
Claremont, 0-2 in
league, plays Rancho Cucamonga at home Friday at 3:15.
San
Bernardino Sun
March
17, 2008
“Alta
Loma 8, Claremont 2”
Senior
Courtney Thomsen hit a solo home run, allowed two runs on nine hits from the
pitcher's circle, and picked up the victory to kick off the Baseline League
season.
Melise
Brown, Antoinette Woodward and Olivia Wilcox all tripled in the win for the
visiting Braves (8-4, 1-0). Kelliner Croushore doubled for the Wolfpack (2-10
0-1).
CHS
softball website
March
17, 2008
“Close
game for six innings”
A close game for six innings became a seventh-inning runaway Monday as the Wolfpack lost its league opener 8-2 to the visiting Alta Loma Braves. Claremont trailed by only one run entering the final inning when Alta Loma broke it open by sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring six runs. Claremont scored once in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomores Lauren Lavarias and Kelliner Croushore each had two hits.
San
Bernardino Sun
March
15, 2008
“Bonita
Tournament”
Claremont
3, La Puente 0
Junior Lili
Caughman pitched a one-hitter and struck out nine to lead the Wolfpack (2-9)
past La Puente at Las Flores Park. The only hit she allowed was a leadoff triple
in the first.
The offense was balanced with senior shortstop Vivian Serna collecting a hit and a walk and scoring twice. Caughman and Ryann Woodward had RBI with the other run coming home on a wild pitch.
Claremont opens
Baseline League play at home Monday against Alta Loma at 3:15 p.m.
Los
Angeles Times
March
8, 2008
“Upland
Tournament”
Claremont
3, Western Christian 2
Lili Caughman went two for three and scored the go-ahead run for Claremont (1-6) in the fifth inning and also struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings of relief.
CHS Wolfpacket
March 5, 2008
“Softball Seeks Success in
Season”
The girls softball team is hoping to break boundaries and improve
each player’s individual skills by working hard, putting effort and time into
practices, and aiming to play with intensity this
season.
The girls are focusing on improving last year’s record of 8 wins.
And although they lost two all-league seniors last year, they have many
experienced and returning players.
“We have better overall depth than last year, and the girls have a
great attitude,” coach Karen Rudolph said. “Hopefully it will translate into
more wins this season.”
The team’s practices have been reformatted to emphasize areas that
are essential to victories for the team.
“We are working a lot with agility and focusing on specific
skills,” sophomore Sarah Free said. “Hopefully practicing these skills will help
us get far this season.”
With harsh weather conditions recently, practices have been
difficult. However the team has managed to beat adversity by cooperating and
having fun while playing. Their love for the sport and comfort with one another helps the
girls to work toward their goals of improving the team.
Practices can be straining, but it helps us get ready for games.
Knowing that we can be cut or benched motivates us to work harder,” junior Terra
Ojeda said.
The hours spent training helps the team members get closer, and
allows them to identify each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The girls are not
only growing as a team, but also serve as a support system for one
another.
“The practices are fun, but rigorous, and the girls have good
chemistry with one another. They enjoy playing and competing and are really
working hard to get better,” coach Linda Moule
said.
Because of the high-level of their competitors in the Baseline
League, the team has been struggling to compete for several years. However, with
commitment, determination and mere love for the sport, the team is motivated to
make it far this season, and rebuild their reputation as a winning
team.