Boulder Creek searches for winning formula
Marc Buckhout ~ Managing Editor ~ 4/1/2010

The record isn’t pretty, but Boulder Creek Evah Taylor said her real team is only starting to pull itself together.
Beset by injuries, most notably to sophomore pitcher Michelle Orr who dealt with blister issues and a deep bruise to her pitching hand early in the season, the Jaguars have stumbled out of the gate to a 4-12 start.
“We’re getting back to the team we thought we were going to be before the season,” Taylor said. “The team chemistry is important. We’re pulling together and getting stronger.”
On Friday, in a Northwest Region matchup, the Deer Valley Skyhawks (19-2 overall, 3-0 in region) served notice that the Jaguars still have a ways to go, dispatching the team from Anthem in a 10-0 six inning run-rule game.
While the Jaguars had opened region play with a pair of victories, defeating Willow Canyon and Valley Vista, they were overmatched against Skyhawks junior pitcher Lauren Haeger.
In addition to being a wrecking crew at the plate, where she was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, the junior was equally dominant in the pitching circle. The right-hander struck out the side in the first, second, and fourth innings. Overall she finished with 13 strikeouts in six innings of work.
“We have to be more disciplined at the plate,” Taylor said. “We were watching first pitch strikes down the middle and then swinging at rise balls out of the zone. I can tell you we’ll be spending time at practice seeing more rise balls.”
The Jaguars fell behind in the first inning on a pair of defensive lapses. With runners on at first and second with one out Orr got Skyhawks catcher Morgan Desaulniers to ground into the whole between shortstop and third.
The Jaguars shortstop got to the ball, but when she fumbled it the bases were loaded. Undeterred Orr recorded a strikeout for the second out, but a wild pitch would allow the Skyhawks to get on the board in the first inning.
Boulder Creek, which never got a runner past second base, had its best scoring chance in the second inning when freshman Codi Kelly doubled to left field to lead off the inning. The Jaguars attempted to sacrifice the runner to third in the next two at bats, but it went to no avail as Haeger struck out the side. In the fourth it was the same scenario as Orr singled to center to lead off the inning and courtesy runner Megan Franks stole second with nobody out. From there the Jaguars base runner never moved as once again Haeger recorded three straight strikeouts to crush any efforts of avoiding the shutout.
Taylor said that Kelly and senior catcher Mariah Jaquez have hit well of late, but said that her team needs to do a better job hitting with runners in scoring position.
“We’ve definitely stranded some base runners,” she said. “We’ll get better through.”
Meanwhile Deer Valley’s offense was relentless. Junior Kristi Johnson and sophomore Dana Cruickshank came up with run scoring doubles in a three-run third inning while Haeger and Morgan Desaulniers did the same during a two-run fourth.
The final damage came in the sixth, during a four-run rally that included five hits.
“We’ll put this one behind us and keep working to get better,” Taylor said. “We’ve got two big games next week.”
On Tuesday the Jaguars hosted Mountain Ridge (results unavailable at press time) before heading on the road to take on Sandra Day O’Connor Wednesday.
CACTUS SHADOWS
At Cactus Shadows the Falcons pushed their record above the .500 mark on the season, improving to 7-6 with a 7-0 win over Apache Junction Thursday. The victory was the Falcons first in region play, as they moved to 1-2 in Desert Sky play.
Leading the way for Cactus Shadows was junior Camille McIver, who hurled a complete game shutout in limiting Apache Junction to three hits.
Offensively junior Gracie Goulder was a terror on the base paths, finishing with six stolen bases during a 3-for-3 performance that included four runs scored.
Cactus Shadows attempted to even its region mark at McClintock (1-13, 0-1) Tuesday (results unavailable at press time). The two teams then complete the home and home series today in a 3:45 p.m. matchup at Cactus Shadows.