After Great Softball Season, Trojans Want More in '12

The 2011 season marked the end of an era in Marin County Athletic League girls softball, with Redwood High’s impressive senior class graduating wearing four crowns.

The void atop the league standings likely will be filled by perennial contenders Tam or San Marin, or perhaps even up-and-comer , although the latter could fall victim to the end of an era as well.

How will the Trojans replace star pitcher ? Already starting to look ahead after Friday’s narrow 3-2 loss to Alhambra of Martinez in the North Coast Section Division 3 championship game, Terra Linda coach admitted he didn’t yet have the answer.

“ can pitch. She’s won travel-ball tournaments as a pitcher,” Lucchi said of his daughter, the team’s lone first-team all-leaguer this past season. “Her preference probably is not to, but she has such a desire to win, she would do what it takes.

“That said, we’d love to have her at shortstop.”

That’s not likely to happen even if Lucchi doesn’t pitch next season. That’s because the other likely choice would be catcher – and Lucchi is considered to be the team’s next-best catcher.

“She (Ross) was our choice to bring in if Schilling had any problems (in the championship game),” Coach Lucchi said, noting that his ace pitcher had some knee issues leading into the game. “If she (Ross) wants to enter the arena, then she could dance with (San Marin’s Dani) Albini and (Tam’s Kim) Scarsella. But I’m not sure how she feels about wanting to do that.

“After the (championship) game, I saw that she said that she was definitely disappointed that we didn’t come back (in the game), but that we would be back in that (championship) game (next season). All I can say about that is: She’s the one who could take us there.”

Regardless of who pitches, Lucchi and Ross will be counted upon once again to be big-time hitters for the Trojans. They both had a chance with the potential tying run on first base in the seventh inning against Alhambra, but Lucchi flied out and Ross popped up.

When hot-hitting grounded back to the pitcher, the surprising sixth seed had to settle for second place in NCS in a season where the Trojans weren’t even second place in the MCAL.

“My memory of the season is: Whenever we were in this situation, we pulled this game out somehow,” Coach Lucchi said of taking a 3-2 deficit into the final inning of the title game. “It’s amazing all the comebacks we had: Bishop O’Dowd, two against Tam …

“We didn’t have too many close-game losses. We did have a lot of close-game wins. Kinda like the Giants. We had come to expect (a rally).”

Instead, the Trojans must now rally behind a new pitcher next season. But that girl is going to get a lot of help.

First off, Schilling is the only significant loss from the 2011 starting lineup. Lucchi returns his daughter, a junior, the sophomore Ross and three talented freshmen – Jones, and , and also expects at least three incoming freshmen to contribute immediately.

Coach Lucchi assures his team also returns something it didn’t have at the start of the 2011 season – respect.

“Everyone is aware we’re losing Sammy Schilling, but we feel real good about where we’re going,” he boasted. “For all intents and purposes, we’re on the map in the local softball arena. And we’re going to get better.”