Rejuvenated Roster Brings Hope To Lady Sharks
The Miami Dade College softball team had a subpar 18-30 record last year. The team’s .375 winning percentage was their worst in five years.
This season, the Lady Sharks are preparing to bounce back with a freshmen-filled roster. Out of 18 players on the team, 17 are new recruits brought on from all across the country and world.
“I’m hoping to have a better season than we did last year,” said head coach Gina De Agüero. “Last year we hit a lot of rough patches but this team works hard so I’m expecting them to do well.”
The team consists of 10 local players and another six players that come from countries such as Curacao, France, Italy, Venezuela and Brazil.
“I expect that we play as a family and that we fight every game from the beginning to the end,” said Italian infielder Jasmine Bernardini. “We expect the best.”
With a whole new slate of players from different parts of the world, the Lady Sharks hope to make that diversity speak on the field.
Some of this year’s reinforcements include:
Melissa Mayeux, a freshman infielder who made history when she became the first known female player added to Major League Baseball’s international registration list. At the time, she was also playing softball as a shortstop on the U-18 French Junior National team.
Eliza Artiles, a freshman infielder from St. Brendan High School. Artiles was selected 2nd Team All-Dade and Rookie of the Year during her first season at South Brendan.
Erika Yatabe, a freshman catcher from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Yatabe played for the Brazilian National team in 2017 and in the international championships in Peru and Tampa in 2013. She was named most valuable catcher for the Nippon Blue Jays in 2016 and 2017.
Apart from the freshmen reinforcements, leading the pack is the only returning player on the team, sophomore pitcher Emma Maitland.
During her freshman season with the Lady Sharks, Maitland averaged 6.83 strikeouts per game placing her in the 35th spot in the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. Maitland racked up 156 strikeouts and had six shutouts.
“Last season we didn’t come out where we wanted to be so this season I really want to have more intensity with the team and hopefully we come together as a whole on the field,” Maitland said.
Consistent daily practices and a large amount of dedication and hardwork are what De Agüero hopes will be the key for a successful season.
“They have fun when they play,” De Agüero said. “They come out here and they’re ready to work and they practice hard. They don’t sell themselves short.”
The Lady Sharks open their season on the road Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. versus Polk State College in Clearwater, Florida.
