PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE
* Aliso Niguel: 12-13, 8-2 in 1998. Coach: Joe Miller (second year, 12-13). Prospects: Though second-team all-county outfielder Jill Freed graduated, eight starters are back, including all-league third baseman Jessica Vernaglia (.400, 23 runs, 15 RBIs), a sophomore. She is complemented by senior catcher Sara Shiekh (.390, 15 RBIs), sophomore shortstop Erin Wallace (.311, 23 stolen bases) and sophomore outfielder Shannon Anderson (.290). Shiekh and Wallace were second-team all-leaguers. Senior Danielle Heath (9-9, 0.90) gives the the Wolverines experience inside the circle and makes them favored to win the league title.
* Costa Mesa: 7-16, 4-6 in 1998. Coach: Jim Weeks (second year, 7-16). Prospects: Junior shortstop Kelly Daub, junior pitcher Brooke Shanley and junior third baseman Michelle Nguyen return to the Mustangs’ starting lineup, though only Nguyen returns to her position from a year ago. Daub moves in from right field, and Shanley from left field. Shanley didn’t pitch last season, but has looked good in training, Weeks said. Junior left fielder Michelle Barnett and junior first baseman Kaiti Chapman also return on a team that doesn’t have any seniors. They’ll need to play solid defense early to learn how to be competitive.
* Estancia: 5-10, 3-7 in 1998. Coach: Rich Boyce (first year). Prospects: The Eagles have one of the league’s best pitchers in sophomore Joanna Danner (4-9, 1.24). The key to Estancia’s season probably lies with the defense it plays behind Danner. Returning starters include senior shortstop Stephanie Danner, sophomore catcher Stefanie Cachola, and senior outfielders Tiffany Ortega and Stacy Barnett. Junior Debra Wyman, a pitcher/outfielder, and senior first baseman Lisa Steinfeld also return.
* Laguna Beach: 3-19, 0-10 in 1998. Coach: Jerome Karp (third year, 4-40). Prospects: The Artists have six starters back from last season, including second-team all-league third baseman Katherine McGuire, a senior. Sophomore first baseman Autumn Pearce and senior second baseman Jennifer Knauer also return, along with junior pitcher Krista Davidson and senior catcher Marguerite Woodbury. The Artists have more experience than usual, but they’ll have to scratch for runs and, on defense, avoid the big inning.
* Laguna Hills: 18-8, 10-0 in 1998. Coach: Cary Crouch (13th year, 212-89-4). Prospects: Laguna Hills has won seven of the last eight league titles, and eight of the last 10, but question marks at pitcher prohibit it from being the favorite it usually is. Four players are getting a chance to pitch, including Melissa Creeger (.243, 10 RBIs), a senior who didn’t pitch last season. Only one senior starter is back, catcher/first baseman Monique Kees (.265, 12 RBIs), who is one of four players with all-league honors. The only first-team selection in the group is junior outfielder Leslie Simien (.432). Sophomore shortstop Katie Oliver (.194, 13 RBIs) and catcher/outfielder Kim Bisera (.204) were second-team choices. “We’ll be young,” Crouch said, “but we have the potential to be a good offensive team. We better score some runs.”
* University: 9-16, 5-5 in 1998. Coach: Chris Burd (second year, 9-16). Prospects: Five starters are returning, led by junior pitcher/shortstop Tiffany Waldman (7-5, 1.85 ERA), a first-team all-league player who batted .342. The other four help provide a solid nucleus on what will be a young team: senior third baseman Jessica Ayala (.232), senior center fielder Lexie Breeden (.200), junior second baseman Libee Hansen (.250) and sophomore shortstop/pitcher Megan del Castillo (.270). For the first time, University had a sixth period softball class, so the team has been together since September; they should be more cohesive, and better, than last season.