Coaches have mixed reaction to extending softball season

At the recent Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association meeting in Columbus, Ohio High School Athletic Asso- ciation Commissioner Dr. Dan Ross talked about the possibility of an extended baseball season.

In essence, the extended baseball season would see the season start at the same time with the same number of games, but have two or three additional weeks tacked on at the end of the season prior to the sectional and district tourna- ments, essentially pushing the state finals to the third or fourth weekend in June.

Throughout the discussion, the topic of an ex- tended softball season was not touched.

But would area coaches be receptive to an extended softball season? The answer is mixed. “I wouldn’t be completely against it,” Midview coach Mike Ives said. “It would be nice to have an extra week or 10 days or so. It would be great to have that extra practice time.

“But I think you wold see some backlash at the end of the season when it’s summer time. If you make a deep run, you run into graduations and family vacations and I think you’d definitely have some issues.”

Wellington coach Duane Sunagel said that one of the biggest issues with a season that ran later would be one that could impact the future of the players.

“It’s an interesting idea, but you would probably see a lot of pushback from travel teams,” Sunagel said. “It’s one of those things where the kids play

on travel teams to get exposure. What are college coaches going to watch? Regular season games? No. They’re going to watch the state tournament and travel ball.

“It’s an interesting idea, but I just don’t think we need it.”

To Vermilion coach Bill Matthews, an extended season is not necessary for softball since the talk of it in baseball stems from an issue unique only to that sport.

“The new pitch count rules are tough for baseball coaches,” Matthews said. “I know that it has some of our coaches here pulling their hair out trying to figure out a rotation with six games in a week.

“That’s not an issue with softball. We don’t have those kinds of rules. Now, I like to think that coaches are smart and won’t overuse their players, but until

a pitch count rule is in place for softball, I don’t see any reason to extend the season.”

Matthews also worries that it might only be a matter of time before those rules come.

“You see that baseball and softball kind of get lumped together,” he said. “If they’re talking about it (an extended season) for baseball, it’s only a matter of time before they consider it for softball. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you see pitch count rules in softball soon because it’s been approved for baseball.”

Prebis schedule

Want to know when and where to find your favorite local team at the Prebis Memorial this weekend? Here’s your quick guide for The Morning Journal area teams: AMHERST (ALL GAMES AT LAGRANGE COMMUNITY PARK)

» April 28 vs. Anthony Wayne (4:15), April 29 vs. Perrysburg (2), April 29 vs. Holland Springfield (4) AVON (ALL GAMES AT LAGRANGE COMMUNITY PARK)

» April 28 vs. Bellevue (4:15), April 29 vs. St. Francis deSales (10 a.m.), April 29 vs. Hilliard Davidson (2) COLUMBIA (ALL GAMES AT WELLINGTON COMMUNITY

PARK) » April 28 vs. Nordonia (4:30), April 29 vs. Poland Seminary (10 a.m.), April 29 vs. Margaretta (2) ELYRIA (ALL GAMES AT LAGRANGE COMMUNITY PARK)

» April 28 vs. Hilliard Bradley (4:15), April 29 vs. Male (noon), April 29 vs. Massillon Perry (4) KEYSTONE (ALL GAMES AT LAGRANGE COMMUNITY

PARK) » April 28 vs. Massillon Perry (4:15), April 29 vs. Hilliard Davidson (10 a.m.), April 29 vs. Male (2) MIDVIEW (ALL GAMES AT LAGRANGE COMMUNITY PARK)

» April 28 vs. Perrysburg (4:15), April 29 vs. Medina (10 a.m.), April 29 vs. Bellevue (2) OLMSTED FALLS (ALL GAMES AT WELLINGTON COMMUNITY PARK) » April 28 vs. Brunswick (4:30), April 29 vs. Wellington (noon), April 29 vs. Toledo Whitmer (4) WELLINGTON (ALL GAMES AT WELLINGTON COMMUNITY

PARK) » April 28 vs. Girard (6:15), April 29 vs. Olmsted Falls (noon)

Polls are in

Week two of the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association poll saw a bit of change for the area.

Elyria, which ranked No. 3 in the initial poll, did not appear in the Division I poll this week.

Keystone remained at No. 2 in Division II, notching a first place vote.