Monache’s Castillo selected ALL-EYL MVP
10 MHS, PHS players also receive all-league honors
The East Yosemite League softball season once again ended with the Marauders of Monache High School on top and winning their fourth-straight EYL title — this time with a perfect 10-0 record.
Unstoppable on offense and defense in league this season, six Marauders (26-4, 10-0 EYL) received ALL-EYL honors with senior MHS shortstop Jessenia Castillo selected as the ALLEYL’S Most Valuable Player. From Porterville (12-13, 2-8 EYL), five players also received ALL-EYL honors.
Castillo finished league play with a 1.285 slugging percentage, .686 batting average, and one home run. She also led the league in RBIS (26), runs scored (21) doubles (10) and triples (four). She batted third and played shortstop for the Maruaders. Next season, Castillo will continue her career at the University of Detroit Mercy, an NCAA Division I program.
“Jessenia without a doubt, best hitter I’ve ever coached,” MHS head coach Dave Koontz said. “And I’ve coached some good hitters. For all-around power, average, clutch — I have to give the edge to Jessenia. She’s just been the best hitter I’ve ever coached.”
Making the ALL-EYL first team for the Marauders were senior pitcher Chloe Rivas and senior center fielder Taliann Hunter.
“Chloe had just a phenomenal year,” Koontz said. “In 10 games she gave up zero unearned runs. Zero. That’s phenomenal. Again, I’ve had excellent pitchers in the past but that’s just an amazing stat. She holds the record for just about everything. Wins, strikeouts, ERA. She holds the record in just about every pitching category there is.”
Rivas, Monache’s clean-up hitter, led the league in slugging (1.481), batting average (.778) and tied for most home runs in the EYL with two. She also had 24 RBIS, 17 runs scored, seven doubles and three triples. Bound for NCAA Division I New Mexico State University, Rivas finished EYL with a 0.00 ERA and tallied 109 strikeouts through 59 innings.
Another one of the team’s top hitters, Hunter had a .581 batting average and 16 RBIS through EYL. Koontz said Hunter is headed to Porterville College next season but has the skills to play at the Div. I level.
“I think she’s one of the best center fielders in the Valley and she’s an excellent hitter in her own right,” Koontz said. “I personally think she could play at the D1 level...she’s got the talent to hit and play at the next level if she chooses to do so, that’s my opinion.”
Monache senior catcher Jasmin Castillo and freshman outfielder Kailyn Castle made the second team. On Jasmin Castillo, Koontz said the four-year varsity starter had an exceptional hitting year. This season Jasmin had a .321 batting average, nine runs scored and five RBIS.
Despite being the only freshman on the team, Castle had a big year at the plate and was the team’s third best hitter after Rivas and Jessenia Castillo. At the plate, Castle batted .591 with 18 runs scored and one home run.
“What a freshman year,” Koontz said. “She’s done things comparable to Chloe and Jessenia. If she keeps doing what she’s doing, she’s going to match right up there with those two. And I think she definitely has the skills to go to the next level.”
Junior first baseman Evette Mendoza was an honorable mention for the Marauders. She finished with a .452 batting average, 20 runs scored and six RBIS.
After winning the CIF Central Section Division II Championship last season, the Marauders moved up to Div. I and went into the Valley tournament seeded sixth. Monache shutout 11th-seeded Frontier (16-16) 5-0 in the opening round but lost 7-1 to third-seeded Bullard (21-6) in the quarterfinals. Porterville Under head coach Jennifer Schoonover, Porterville went 12-13 on the overall season and 2-8 in the EYL, missing playoffs by just one game.
Making the first team for the Panthers was senior shortstop Anissa Gomez and freshman first baseman Cienna Enriquez made the second team.
Both players were big hitters for Porterville and led the team in almost all offensive categories. Gomez, a fouryear starter, had a slugging percentage of .482 and .448 batting average while also racking up seven RBIS and a fielding percentage of .950. Enriquez had a fielding percentage of .955 and a slugging percentage of .565. She also batted .391 and had five RBIS and four doubles.
“Anissa was wonderful, a great asset to the team,” Schoonover said. “She stepped up during league. She was a great lead-by-example captain. She was one of our two captains that we had. She was definitely important to our team. It was no doubt that she was going to be our starting shortstop. And that was from the getgo, from the beginning of the season to the end. So to have her a part of our team was great.”
On Enriquez, Schoonover said the freshman came in late but made a big impact on the team at first base with her strength.
“Good ease and a great attitude,” Schoonover said. “She was able to come in and make our infield stronger with seniors on the left side and her being on the right really helped having a strong, strong first baseman.”
Schoonover added, “From the get-go she was very strong at first base. You can tell she has a little bit of experience but she definitely came out on the field and you can tell she was definitely going to make varsity. She had a lot of power. She was one of our top four batters, gradually making her way up there as a freshman.”
Honorable mentions for the Panthers were senior outfielder Shelby Rubio, senior pitcher Josie Rios and senior third baseman Molly Mulvaney. Rios batted .368 through six games and was the team’s main pitcher before getting injured. Mulvaney batted .296 while Rubio hit .364 and had a home run. Both Mulvaney and Rubio each finished the season with three RBIS.