Who can beat the Chelsea Lady Dragons?
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
It’s not meant to be a rhetorical question, but the way the Lady Dragons have played this year, it very well might be.
Thirty-six games, 36 wins, 34 shutouts. It’s tough to beat that. Leading the charge has been senior pitcher Kasha Kolb.
When people put up monster stats, it’s been popular to say “those are video game numbers.”
I don’t know…even with video games, I don’t think some of these numbers could be duplicated.
So I ask, what is the most impressive? The eight perfect games? The 22 no-hitters? The 34 shutouts? The 533 K’s in 234 innings? Take your pick. Or wait, what about allowing no earned runs the entire year and only two unearned tallies all season?
With all the hoopla (deservedly so) about Kolb, coach Daryl Ping does not want to dismiss the contributions of some of the other Chelsea players.
A big move was a continuation move from last year. Halfway through last season, Ping moved leadoff hitter Chelsey Davis to the 5-spot.
“It puts a little pressure off her and allows her to play more freely,” Ping said.
And the results? Davis is leading the team with a .480 average and is second on the team with 24 RBIs.
Ping said he would take his No. 1-5 hitters against any other team in the state. Well, looking at the stats, hmm, tough to say.
Kolb is leading off. The goal of the leadoff hitter is to get on base. Kolb has managed to earn 21 walks and is batting .345 this season.
In the two spot, Chelsey Helt has done “whatever is necessary to help the team.” Helt has 15 sacrifices and her .396 clip is none too shabby.
Bre Winters is in the three-hole. Interesting note about her is that Ping said Winters is the best power hitter on the team and is ALSO the best bunter. Winters is leading the team with 25 RBIs.
Hitting cleanup is Jodi Patterson, who has driven in 20 runs.
Senior night was Monday, and Ping said it was about as emotional as he’s ever been since being the coach.
He presented each senior with a 16X20 frame with a collage of pictures for each girl. There were tears in the girls’ eyes, and even he was close to cracking.
A point Ping wants to make is the next time he sees his girls cry, he wants it to be because they’ve won their first ever state title.
For more on Kolb, see Thursday’s Oklahoman.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment