The Hood River softball team will look to compete for a state championship after the last two state tournaments were canceled due to COVID-19. Third year head coach, Ryan Munn, has high hopes for the Eagles.
Freshman Sarah Mason fields a ball and throws to a teammate during a practice on Mar. 10.
Senior Reese Leiblein smiles while she tries to beat the throw to third base during a practice on Mar. 10. Leiblein is one of five returning seniors for the young Eagles squad.
Sophomore Marina Castaneda works on her base running during a practice on Mar. 10. Castaneda is fresh off a IMC conference first-team honor for basketball.
Junior Margaret Scully covers second base during a practice on Mar. 10 at Westside Elementary.
Ten players with varsity experience bolster Hood River Valley’s girls softball hopes this season.
The Eagles were 10-8 last spring, 5-5 and in third place in the Intermountain Conference. HRV won in the first round of the conference playoffs a year ago. Coach Ryan Munn’s Eagles started the season 0-4 but strung together two four-game win streaks to earn the league playoff berth.
The infield is led by sophomore Sienna Davis, who was selected first-team all-league in 2021 by the IMC coaches. HRV also had five other players honored: Junior catcher Abby Kahler was a second-team pick, as were outfielders Bella Moore (senior) and senior pitcher Kyra Davis. Sophomore infielder Marina Castaneda was an honorable mention selection.
Other returning players include senior Jessa Nickelsen; senior Reese Leiblein; senior Hailey Olson; junior Kaylyn Stanphil; and junior Mallory McNerney. Seniors Kyra Davis, Leiblein, and Moore were on varsity as freshmen.
Munn said turnout this spring is lower than last year. “It is a little bit down this year as there is a small group of freshman girls who play softball,” he said. “That just means there is a lot of opportunities for girls to play and get experience. Our team’s expectations are to play hard and try to compete in each and every game.
“We return 10 players from last year’s varsity team, but more than that we return a lot of kids who have been in our program and system for the last couple years, so they know the routines and things.”
Munn said that continuity makes for some competitive practices. “We have a lot of newcomers fighting for playing time. Lots of girls who are going to swing both varsity and JV trying to earn a spot.
“We have a team that could be pretty competitive, just need everything to come together.”
Pendleton was 9-0 in IMC contests last spring, while Ridgeview was 7-3 in second. But the Ravens got hot in the league playoffs and defeated Pendleton, 8-4, to win the conference tournament. Kiana Nakamura of Ridgeview was the player of the year, but she graduated last June. Pendleton’s Kylie Parsons and Sauren Garton were co-pitchers of the year. Parsons returns for her senior season.
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