Softball pounces opponents
CLACKAMAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS AVERAGED 9.89 RUNS PER GAME OVER THEIR LAST NINE
photo by Doug Fry
Clackamas celebrates number 33 Ashley Dugan’s homerun in their game against Centralia.
photo by Sam Weston
Katie Zook puts the ball in play against Centralia.
BY DOUG FRY
Cougars’ softball is in the process o f
peaking as the regular season came to
an end on Friday May 12.
In Jessica Buel’ s tenth season as head
coach, she has the same goal in sight for
her team , a championship.
“ Our expectations are always to win
an NWAC title, we plan to be there and
be com peting for that title,” said Buel.
“ I have to give i t to m y
coaches they help a lot,
i f you need extra cuts
they stay after practice.”
-K a tie Rose Whetstine
Her players reflect the same winning
attitude that Buel has. They have their
sights set for success and execute their
game plan week in and week out.
“ W e’ve been having a good season
this year. Hopefully we’re going to start
peaking for N W AC’ s ,” said Buel. “ It’ s
been a great year. We have a great group
of kids and they work hard every day. ”
C la ck a m a s C o m m u n ity C o lle g e ’ s
softball team has been able to do just
that. Ending their regular season on a nine
game w inning streaky outscoring their
opponents 89-37 in that span. The team
has found great success from the plate all
season, but has excelled in recent games.
So p h o m o re c a tc h e r K a tie Rose
Whetstine has carried a large part of the
scoring this season, attributing 60 RBIs in
32 games. Whetstine has only struck out
three times and leadsthe team in batting
average, homeruns and RBIs (.486,11,60)
this season.
“ I have to give it to my coaches, they
help a lot. If you need extra cuts they
stay after practice,” said Whetstine. “Just
knowing that you’re better than before,
knowing that you’re a better hitter than
the pitcher.”
CCC has benefitted from stellar pitching
on the mound all season from sophomore
H annah Vandom elen. W ith a record o f
15-1, Vandom elen has been autom atic
all season long and gives the Cougars
leadership they can depend on.
. “ I think it helps to have a consistent
person on the mound to be reliable,” said
Vandom elen. “ It’ s just good to have a
leader and I think I do a pretty good job
at that. ” ,
Vandomelen has been able to double her
wins this season and cut her ERA in half.
“ B ein g m ore poised and not as
nervous, think ing you know if people
get hits they’re going to get h its,” said
Vandomelen on what has changed since
la s f season. “ Keeping the ball o ff the
plate has helped me be more successful
this year.”
W ith only one week to prepare, Buel’ s
experience in the postseason it allows
her to help her players with last minute
fine tuning and making sure everything
is on point.
As a leader on the team and with having
been on last year’ s fourth place team ,
Vandom elen can help her team m ates
with adjustments that need to be made
for NWACs.
“ We need to do the little things right,
being more consistent with our attitudes,
with our hitting and not being soup and
down all the tim e,” sdid Vandomelen. “ I
have high expectations.”
C C C ’ s so ftb all team is a program
that always has success in the NW AC
tournam ent placing top four in each
o f the last three seasons includihg an
appearance in the championship in 2014.
Like any other year, the Cougars look to
do the same and are bringing confidence
to the tournament.
Clackamas finished second in the NWAC
South Region. The Cougars will continue
their season on M ay 19 in Spokane,
W ash in gton for the N W AC so ftb all
cham p ion sh ip s: They w ill play their
first game against Highline Community
College.
QaekamasPrint MAY 17,2017 theclackamasprint.com 7