Powerful pitching staff puts OCHS softball team atop TVL standings
Tuesday's victory over Oak Park puts Lions alone in first place
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers ROCKET ARM- Oaks Christian pitcher Brittany Sobieraj winds up and delivers a strike during a game earlier this season. Sobieraj has a team-leading .848 ERA for the first-place Lions.

Oaks Christian now controls its own destiny in the race for a TriValley League softball championship.

The Lions took sole possession of first place in the TVL with a 1-0 victory over Oak Park at home Tuesday night.

OCHS senior Taylor Schlopy pitched a complete game, striking out 11, and left fielder Lindsey Jeu De Vine threw out Oak Park's Stephanie Gilbert at home plate with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the win.

"I was so nervous," Jeu De Vine said. "I knew I needed to get it done, and I did."

It was the first time she'd thrown a base runner out at home plate all year, Jeu De Vine said.

Oaks Christian's overall record stood at 17-1 entering yesterday's game vs. Burroughs. OCHS is 6-0 in the Tri-Valley League. With the loss, Oak Park fell to 12-4 overall and 5-1 in league.

The Lions, CIFSouthern Section Division IV champions in 2003 and 2004, have put together another marvelous season under head coach Pete Ackermann and his staff. The team as outscored the opposition 9125, and is currently ranked No. 1 in the latest CIF-SS Division III coaches' poll.

Still, despite the continued success, Ackermann said his squad has a lot of work to do to improve its play as the postseason draws near.

"We're in a good place and in a bad place," Ackermann said. "We're still feeling our way and trying to solidify our defense. (The defense) keeps changing on us, and that's been predicated on us having three different pitchers."

In a sport where a single hurler often works the majority of a team's innings from the mound, the Lions possess a trio of quality starting pitchers. It's a luxury that's both helped and hurt OCHS, Ackermann said.

"It's easy if you have one pitcher," the coach said. "But because we use three pitchers, we do a multitude of changes defensively, and that requires girls learning numerous positions.

"Instead of just plugging them in and having a depth chart, we have a rotational chart, and that makes things much more difficult for the girls to comprehend all the positions they may have to play in a given situation."

After missing most of last season while recovering from knee surgery, Schlopy is once again making a major impact for the Lions.

Through Monday's games Schlopy, who still wears a knee brace when she's on the field, led the TVL in batting average (.565) and stolen bases (12). On the mound, the hardthrowing righthander has posted a 1.09 ERA in 61.1 innings of work. She's struck out 102 batters en route to a 9-1 record on the year.

Despite her off-the-chart stats, the University of Georgia-bound Schlopy said she's still not operating at 100 percent health.

"I don't feel like I'm at my complete strength that I was at before I got hurt," she said. "But I'm getting there, slowly but surely."

Schlopy had to overcome mental obstacles while recovering from knee surgery as well.

"Some of it is mental, especially being out for so long," she said. "It was a big challenge that I continue to get through."

Schlopy has been the Lions' best hitter, but many others have contributed to Oaks Christian's .317 team batting average.

Junior third baseman/catcher Tiffany Lookabill has posted a .385 average with 12 RBI. Senior first baseman Courtney Lee, who will attend Sacred Heart University in Connecticut next season, leads the Lions with 27 RBI.

Valerie Ortega (.380), Alex Bates (.343) and Brittany Sobieraj (.333) all continue to swing hot bats for OCHS.

Lee, a co-captain along with Schlopy, said there's no doubt the Lions will continue to hit well. In fact, she believes the team still hasn't reached its peak offensively.

If the defense can continue to improve and cut down on errors, Lee said there's a good chance the Lions can capture their third CIF championship in the past five years.

"If we just start talking to each other on the field we'll be fine," Lee said. "We're adjusting, and hopefully we'll get there soon."

When Schlopy isn't pitching, the Lions are in good hands with either Sobieraj or Jenna Foster toeing the rubber.

Sobieraj leads the team with a microscopic .848 ERA in 33 innings pitched. She relies more on breaking pitches than overpowering fastballs, Ackermann said. Foster, who can mix breaking balls with velocity, isn't far behind with a 1.23 ERA in 22.2 innings.

Although the pitching rotation has created issues on the defensive end, Ackermann realizes that depth on the mound could be a real asset during the playoffs.

"Fortunately, if one type of pitcher struggles we can go to the opposite type of pitcher," he said. "We're fortunate to have that here."