Lady Sharks Softball Team Secures Spot At State Tournament For First Time In Four Years
One month ago, the Miami Dade College softball team’s record was 8-15 and their chances of qualifying for the State Tournament were bleak.
Since then, the team has gone on a tear, winning eight of their last 12 games. The streak catapulted them up the Southern Conference standings and helped them secure a spot at the State Tournament in Longwood, Florida, May 7-10.
The Lady Sharks, who last played in the State Tournament in 2017, are 16-19 with two games left on the season.
“I’m pretty confident in our abilities and how well we’ll perform at states,” said freshman pitcher Brianna Romaguera. “Our confidence is high and we’re ready [for the tournament].”
The team’s rapid rise, which included a five-game winning streak in early April, has been propelled by solid pitching and a strong offense. MDC is boasting a 2.35
earned run average and a .304 batting average in conference games.
Their offensive firepower was on full display during the Lady Shark’s 17-6 win versus Eastern Florida State College on April 14. The team scored 15 runs in two innings and every starter scored at least one run.
“It was all about the team coming together and improving as a whole. Step by step, we have gotten to where we wanted to be,” said Lady Sharks’ Head Coach Gina de Agüero, who has led her team to five State Tournament appearances since 2013.
Players and coaches attribute the momentum to improved team chemistry and a shift in their offensive mindset. They have prioritized base hits over home runs. That mindset has resulted in 35 doubles and five triples in 35 games.
“Our mentality of base hits instead of home runs has been a big improvement,” said outfielder Amber Dalfonso. “I think we play a lot more together and focus on teamwork as a whole more than last year.”
Sophomore Haley Duncan is the Lady Sharks’ ace. Through 19 appearances, she has a 2.19 earned run average (ranked sixth in the state) and 39 strikeouts.
Offensively, several players have contributed. Freshman shortstop Melissa Leon leads the team in RBI (23), home runs (four), doubles (nine), and batting average (.362); Dalfonso is first in base hits (37), stolen bases (10) and is third in batting average (.352).
Second base freshman Bianca Palacios has added 19 RBI, 15 runs, two home runs and a .318 batting average.
With two games left in the regular season, the Lady Sharks seem to be peaking at the right time.
“There’s always room for improvement in this game,” Leon said “Right now I believe this is where you would want to be as a team. The way we are playing is good.”
The Lady Sharks finish the regular season playing doubleheader on the road against Eastern Florida State College on April 24 in Melbourne. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
