The562’s high school softball coverage is sponsored by Playmakers. Visit LetsBePlaymakers.org for more information on their adaptive sports programs.
The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2023-24 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
Expectations are a moving target.
There were times over the last decade that an 8-2 victory over Lakewood at Lisa Fernandez Field would be a season-defining moment for the Millikan softball program.
On Tuesday night after a six-run win over their rivals, the Rams got a stern talking to from coach Michelle Lehr. Her message was about the error that allowed Lakewood to score twice with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. It also snapped a 33.2 Moore League scoreless innings streak for Millikan.
“I would have loved a shutout, Ava (Schaffel) deserved a shutout,” Lehr said. “It just goes to show that sometimes when there is pressure on the line for the last out, players get tensed up and we can’t let that happen.”
The senior righty Schaffel went the distance and didn’t allow the Lancers their first of only four hits until there were two outs in the fifth inning. She struck out seven, hit one batter and was still smiling after losing the shutout.
“I think that it’s something we need to work on, maybe in practice doing pressure situations,” Schaffel said. “But, I think we’re pretty good, and I think we’ll be good.”
The Rams were very good at the plate in the first inning when Katie Knarr sparked a 2-out, 4-run rally by drawing a walk against Lakewood starting pitcher Star Tapia. Junior Jocelyn Owen followed that up with an RBI double, and then Lela “Hyphy” Asi drove her home with a sharp chopper to center field on the first pitch she saw.
“I think we just really wanted to beat them because of the rivalry, we live for that,” said Asi, who drove in two more runs with a single in the fifth inning. “Our energy helped us keep on getting hits and adding runs.”
“She’s owns up the middle ground balls,” Lehr said of Asi. “She’s so strong that when she does hit a ground ball, after it hits the ground it actually picks up speed, it’s got that top spin.”
Later in the first inning, Addy Everett sat on a changeup and drilled it into the gap to drive in a pair of runs and cap the four-run rally before the designated home Lancers came to the plate against Schaffel.
Millikan added insurance runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings on RBI hits from Asi, Owen and Hailey Fematt. As they did, the Rams celebrated in their dugout with a rather large bubble gun.
“Had to add a little style,” said Asi. “It really did add some jazz into the dugout, it was really fun, so it made it like more relaxed.”
Schaffel was also having fun in the circle mixing speeds with her variety of pitches. She said they came into the game ready to work up and down with the rise ball and change up, but early called strikes given on the outside part of the plate gave her a chance to use the curve, drop or screw to stay away from the Lancers bats. Lakewood didn’t hit a ball out of the infield until the fifth inning.
After missing an extended period with an arm injury, Schaffel is back and better than ever. The San Diego State bound senior credits Pilates with her new found strength.
“I love it so much,” said Schaffel of the exercises inspired by calisthenics, yoga and ballet. “It really helped me with my shoulder when nothing else was working. It’s also raised my endurance so much. It’s really calming. It’s training your mind to your muscles, and I think that’s really the key for me. Once I got that I was locked in.”
“She was locked in today,” Lehr said of her ace. “Plus, we know that when we play Lakewood the coaches tip the pitches, they’re tracking every changeup. So we didn’t go to it that often. What I love is that they’re helping their batters and we’re still winning. We don’t help our batters, they have to figure that out on their own, so I feel like that puts us a league above.”
Millikan (11-6, 6-0) is scheduled to take on Huntington Beach today and Lakewood (7-8, 3-2) hosts Jordan at Mayfair Park on Thursday.
