Fresh Faces and Forces

Freshman. Rookie. Plebe

More than a dozen freshmen stepping into the pitching circle this season for area softball team have heard the catcalls.

But don’t mistake these 14- and 15-year olds for novices. Not this year.

The new crop of talented pitchers represents the future of high school softball in the region--and the future looks good.

In fact, the future is now.

Anybody who thought the regions’s well was running dry after producing outstanding pitchers such as Samantha Ford and Kym Weil at Hart High, Sara Griffin at Simi Valley, Nancy Evans at Hoover and Lindsay Parker at La Canada--to name a few--should think again.

Each of those aces could one day be replaced in the Southern Section record book by any number of youngsters who are already turning heads and mowing down the competition.

In many cases, it’s the established programs that continue to gain the best pitching prospects.

Hart, for example, recently climbed to the top of The Times’ regional poll on the arm of freshman Amanda Fortune (8-1), who has beaten Camarillo twice.

Hart has a legacy of strong pitching and this year is no different--and won’t be for at least three more years.

“It’s real comforting knowing that we’re not gonna have to worry about who’s gonna pitch,” Hart junior catcher Danni Socha said.

Pitching is the least of Hart Coach Al Weil’s worries.

“She seems mature beyond her years,” Weil said of Fortune.

So far, Fortune’s toughest outing was a 5-0 loss to La Reina. After averaging barely more than a walk a gam, Fortune walked 10 La Reina Batters.

Weil said the umpire was squeezing the strike zone, but Fortune made no excuses. She told her coaches she shouldn’t let the umpire affect her performance.

“It kind of blew us away [when she said that],” Weil said. “Kids nowadays, whenever something goes wrong, it’s somebody else’s fault.”

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Simi Valley is another established powerhouse that seems destined to carry on with business as usual.

The reason is Brittney Green. The powerful 5-foot-7 right-hander could be the next Sara Griffin, who led the Pioneers to the Southern Section finals in 1992 and ’93.

“I see potential in Brittney like Sara,” Simi Valley Coach Suzanne Manlet said. “She has a strong arm, strong wrist . . . has a lot velocity on the ball for a young kid.”

Because the Pioneers have a capable and seasoned veteran in junior right-hander Lori Tande, Green hasn’t been called on to pitch much in early games.

But Manlet has faith in Green. That’s why Green started against Buena in the championship game of the Simi Valley tournament. She allowed only two hits in a 12-3 victory that was called after five innings because of the 10-run lead rule.

In seven innings, Green (1-0) has allowed three hits, struck out six, walked two and earned a save.

“I think she’s going to be a force in our league,” Manlet said.

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Then there is Hoover’s Cori Herbert, another dominating athlete reminiscent of Hoover graduate Evans, who pitches for top-ranked Arizona.

How can Hoover Coach Kirt Kohlmeier be so blessed only four years since Evans’ departure?

“They say lightning never strikes twice. I guess maybe it does,” Kohlmeier said.

When Herbert arrived, she asked for Evans’ jersey number. But No. 13 was retired when Evans graduated, so Herbert got the inverse, No. 31.

Like Evans, Herbert (6-3) is making a name for herself with a wicked riseball. In 53 1/3 innings, the 5-8 right-hander has struck out 89 and walked six.

Hoover should be a force into the next century.

“It’s a coach’s dream,” Kohlmeier said.

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At Camarillo, Kathrine Nevard has so impressed Coach Miki Mangan that she is splitting time with junior right-hander Cindy Ball, one of the region’s best pitchers.

“[Nevard] needs to work on a few pitches,” Mangan said. “But she’s very accurate, good control, has very good movement.”

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With former Camarillo Coach Darwin Tolzin at Westlake, it shouldn’t be long before the Warriors become contenders. Tolzin, a former men’s league All-American pitcher, is a proven winner.

With freshman right-hander Erin Voeltz already excelling under his tutelage, the future appears bright.

Hard-working Voeltz, a 5-9 right-hander, has the potential to be one of Tolzin’s finest proteges.

Laura Richardson, who led Camarillo to a Southern Section title in 1991, has long been one of Tolzin’s favorites, partly because of her work ethic.

“You couldn’t ask for a harder worker than Laura Richardson . . . and [Voeltz] works harder,” Tolzin said. “If I told [Voeltz] to run 27 miles a day, she’d do it.

“The thing she’s got that a lot of young girls don’t have, she has very good [pitch] location. She can throw down and in, up and out, wherever she wants.”

Once Voeltz learns about ball rotation, she will get movement on her pitches and be tougher to hit, Tolzin said.

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Another freshman pitcher enjoying success is Harvard-Westlake’s Anna Russell (8-0), who boasts veteran-like statistics. In 54 innings, Russell has allowed 15 hits, struck out 65 and walked nine.

Nicole Furuya of Canyon was thrust into the pitching circle last week when ace Lisa Villasenor suffered a knee injury.

Furuya responded by throwing a perfect game against Muir.

Time will tell how good these freshmen will become. But if their first few games are any indication, they’ll be a hit. And freshmen no more.

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A FRESH CROP OF PITCHERS *--*

NAME SCHOOL COMMENT Amanda Fortune Hart Talented and a name to match Nicole Furuya Canyon Has already thrown a perfect game Brittney Green Simi Valley Future force in the Marmonte League Cori Herbert Hoover Has 89 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings Kathrine Nevard Camarillo Splitting time with Cindy Ball Amanda Oleson Agoura Has three of team’s 11 victories Dana Porter Oak Park One of 11 underclassmen for Eagles Amy Rossen Calabasas The Coyotes’ future rests with Rossen Anna Russell Harvard-Westlake Undefeated after eight games Erin Voeltz Westlake The next phenom of guru Darwin Tolzin Kristin Ward La Reina No earned runs allowed in 23 innings Stephanie Yeatts Reseda Following in sister Rosie’s footsteps

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