Dolphin women return five starters

Published 11:15 am Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Shoreline CC out to 3-1 start in league

By Tony Dondero

Enterprise reporter

Five players return to the starting lineup for the Shoreline Community College women’s softball team, which started league play with a 3-1 record.

The Dolphins split with Olympic and took two games from Peninsula.

Shoreline, which is currently second behind Everett CC in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges North Division standings, is 9-7 overall after playing in three early season tournaments.

Sophomore right-hander Athea Surface from Lake Stevens is back as the team’s ace pitcher. Surface, who also bats cleanup and plays infield, led the team in RBI last year.

Also back as pitcher is sophomore righty Emma Snow, who prepped at Shorecrest, but Snow is battling shoulder problems and is not 100 percent. While Snow has been out, sophomore pitcher/infielder Lindsay Cook, a right hander, has filled in admirably, coach Lance Swehla said.

The team’s leadoff batter is another Lake Stevens product, sophomore Christina Demuelenaere, an outfielder and first baseman. She led the Dolphins in batting average last year.

Also returning to the lineup is sophomore catcher Brittanie Thibodeaux, who is also from Lake Stevens.

The roster includes 12 players, with several new faces that will see significant playing time.

Freshman Camille Deprew, who went to Seattle Lutheran, plays center field and shortstop. Freshman Moani Durant from Waimea, Hawaii, plays the outfield, while freshman Erin O’Hara, from Lakeland High in Idaho, plays outfield and catches.

Freshman Erika Potts plays third base and outfield. Sophomore Jessica Pruitt from North Mason didn’t play a lot last year but will fill in at third base.

Freshman Tiffany Baisden from Mount Baker High School plays third base and second base, while Genesse Rickel from Shorewood shores up the outfield.

“We’re athletic, we field the ball well, we hit the ball,” Swehla said. “We’re pretty solid one through nine. We have a pretty solid lineup.”

The team has two assistant coaches this year, both players from last year’s team: Katie Fuller and Ali Jordan. Swehla did not have any assistants last year.

Swehla had 16 players last fall, but four have left the program. Grades were not an issue, he said.

“Academically, we’re very strong,” he said.

The numbers are enough to be competitive but Swehla does wish he had two more players on the roster.