The top of the MCAL standings in any sport is usually occupied by teams loaded with upperclassmen, whose extra years of maturation and training allow them to thrive against less experienced competition.
Someone clearly forgot to inform the girls’ softball team of that trend.
After compiling a 13-32 record over the past two years, Redwood has claimed first place in the league with a starting lineup that often consists of five sophomores and two freshmen. And as the season winds down, the youngest varsity team on campus will head into the playoffs with a seven-game win streak, a 14-2 record, and a regular season title.
The team, which consists of 16 girls under 16 years of age, belies its lack of seniority thanks to plenty of club softball experience.
“When girls play club, they have girls on their team from all over Northern California so you see a lot of talent,” said captain Sophia Sapuppo, the team’s lone senior. “Then in MCAL, the girls can play up to the level that their club teams have taught them to play at.”
Much of the team’s success comes on the back of ace pitcher Lani Kaleikini, a junior who has maintained a sparkling 1.62 ERA and amassed 154 strikeouts in 125 innings on the mound. Opposing batters have hit just .167 against Kaleikini, who pitches every league game for the Giants. Kaleikini said she expects Redwood softball to only get stronger over the coming years.
“Usually with a young team, you don’t have the same experience levels as you do compared to some other teams with more upperclassmen,” Kaleikini said. “It’s good to have a lot of girls the same age going through their four years together because there is better bonding time for the girls as a whole and the coaches get to know each individual.”
Opposing pitchers face a tough test right away in the form of standout freshman leadoff hitter Sabrina Nunez. Nunez has started at shortstop in every game this season and has not struck out in 59 at bats with a .452 batting average. Her exuberant style of play, coupled with her speed and seamless fielding, has already landed her a verbal commitment at UC Berkeley.
The top four spots in the Giants’ lineup are all occupied by impressive hitters, with Nunez joined by Kaleikini and sophomores Shawn McCullough and Kayla Rose. Rose boasts a .574 on-base percentage that is good for third in MCAL while Kaleikini has a .738 slugging percentage with a team-leading three home runs. McCullough has a .538 slugging percentage out of the cleanup spot for the Giants.
Rose attributed the team’s success to a supportive atmosphere, one confirmed by the boisterous chants emanating from the dugout at each game in this surprising season.
“These girls are so great,” Rose said. “Everyone pulls their own weight and works really hard to make sure that it isn’t just one person carrying the team. I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve had so much success on the team, but I never feel the pressure from any of my teammates.”
As the Giants head into the playoffs, Sapuppo says she believes in this team more than ever.
“Throughout the season, I’ve tried to get everyone to support one another in every situation that we face because that’s what makes us such a strong team,” Sapuppo said. “We have a really special dynamic that would be almost impossible to break.”
