Kroener Handles Workload on Mound for Saddleback

When Saddleback’s Tara Kroener pitches, there is little chance for relief because the Gauchos have only 10 players on their roster.

Not that she needs much anyway. Kroener has pitched in 41 of Saddleback’s 49 games this season, starting 39 and completing 33.

But Kroener will surely breathe a sigh of relief once Saddleback finishes its season this weekend at the state tournament in Clovis. It will nearly mark the end of two hectic years at the Mission Viejo school, which included, at times, having to be on the road by 5 a.m. to avoid traffic while commuting from Ontario.

There is only one more task to complete for Kroener, the two-time Orange Empire Conference player of the year. She must decide which four-year college to attend. She has trips lined up to Colorado State and Illinois Chicago, and Ohio State also has expressed interest.

But no matter where Kroener decides to transfer, Saddleback Coach Nick Trani says that program will be impressed by its recruit.

“Most pitchers are head cases, but she’s down to earth,” Trani said. “She’s a remarkable athlete, but the person comes first. She’s such a neat kid, she deserves everything she gets.”

Kroener played three years at Ontario Chaffey High. After high school, she went looking for the best opportunity she could find, and not using distance as a barrier, settled on Saddleback.

That often meant getting up at 4 a.m. to be ready to leave at 5. She would get to school about 6:30 and have time to study and eat breakfast before class.

To avoid traffic in the afternoon, Kroener took a job near the college campus, working some nights until 9:30. She came to realized that neither she nor her car would hold up under the stress of such a schedule, so she started to stay over night with teammates whenever possible. Earlier this year, she rented a room 15 minutes from campus.

“The [classes] have made it all worth it,” she said. “I really just wanted to further my education.”

Kroener was 22-6 last season and hit .419, but Saddleback was eliminated in regional play.

She spent the summer resting a sore knee and trying to improve her mental approach.

“I would think about situations and about what pitch I would throw,” said Kroener, who relies mostly on a curveball and a screwball.

She came back this season and soon realized that all the opposing coaches knew exactly how she pitched. “I had to be smarter,” she said.

She has pitched 214 1/3 innings and is 29-11 with 15 shutouts. She is hitting .426 with 43 runs batted in.

There was no question she was tired down the stretch. But after nearly two weeks off between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs, she regained her dominant form.

Kroener gave up one run in three playoff games to help lead the Gauchos reach the state tournament.

“I got sleep,” she said. “Some well-deserved sleep. After that [time off] I felt like a million dollars.”

Notes

The state softball tournament starts today and concludes Sunday at the Buchanan Sports Complex in Clovis. Cypress (54-7), which has won the last two state titles, opens the tournament against Fresno (32-14) at 2 p.m. Palomar (39-12) plays Chabot, also at 2 p.m. In noon games, Saddleback (35-13-1) takes on Merced (49-6) and Long Beach (48-7) plays San Joaquin Delta (36-15). . . . Cypress, with plenty of pitching and a potent lineup, is the favorite. Mandy Rockwell is 31-1 and has 12 shutouts and 191 strikeouts in 189 2/3 innings. Shortstop Melissa Beck is hitting .459 with 21 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs and 57 RBIs.