Clements coming off a monster season
The softball player was named to the all-Big West first team
Big West Freshman Field Player of the Year Jessica Clements put together arguably one of the best freshman softball seasons in Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo history last spring.
Named to allBig West first team, the Santa Catalina graduate led the conference in hitting at .396, the sixth highest total in school history.
A third team NFCA All-West Region selection, she was second in the Big West in hits (63) and fourth in runs scored (36).
A finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award, Clements hit safety in 36 of Cal Poly's 48 games last year, finishing with 18 multiple-hit games.
A two-time member of The Herald's All-County softball team, Clements hit .462 in the leadoff spot for Cal Poly, 386 with two outs and .358 with runners on base.
Defensively Clements started all 48 games for Cal Poly, compiling a .979 fielding percentage, with just two errors in 96 chances.
A teammate of Clements is Stevenson graduate Ellie Yamashita, who appeared in 31 games last year as a junior, mainly as a pinch runner, scoring six times.
Also being used as a pinch runner last year as a true freshman was North Salinas product Jada Contapay, who scored nine runs. She also appeared as a defensive replacement in the outfield.
Stoutenborough at TCU
With his degree from Cal in hand, and an extra year of eligibility remaining from the pandemic, Sam Stoutenborough will pitch this spring at Texas Christian University.
The former Palma hurler entered the transfer portal last summer and will chase a master's degree at TCU, while continuing his baseball career.
In four years at Cal, the 6-foot-3 right-hander appeared in 49 games, starting 17. Stoutenborough often came into the game in the second inning as a planned strategy.
In 202 innings of work at Cal, the graduate student and his 92 mph heater struck out 134 hitters, picking up 11 wins.
Drafted originally by the Los Angeles Angels out of high school, Stoutenborough was 14-4 with an 0.70 earned run average in two seasons at Palma, earning The Herald's Baseball Player of the Year.
Synchronized sensations
Elyse DeSalvo opened the Artistic Synchronized Swimming season with a gold medal at the Figures Invitational in Pacifica.
A member of the Cypress Swim Club, DeSalvo was a champion in the immediate figures, with teammate Jannah Noonari earning a bronze medal, placing third.
Aranza Fernandez made her season debut in the novice figures, placing seventh, with Areej Salah finishing eighth.
Over 200 synchronized swimmers from throughout Northern California took part in the event.
Fuentes, Gunter look to make an impact
Platooning behind the plate last year as a freshman, Angelita Fuentes will eye more playing time this spring for the Iowa State softball team.
The Herald's Softball Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2019 at Notre Dame, Fuentes appeared in 23 games last year for Iowa State, making 13 starts at catcher.
Fuentes showed some pop in her bat with her first collegiate home run. She hit .258 with a pair of multiple-hit games, driving in five runs.
A teammate of Fuentes is former Santa Catalina slugger Abby Gunter, who in limited action hit over .400, driving in a pair of runs against Santa Clara.
A two-time member of The Herald's All-County softball team, Gunter begins her junior season vying for time at first base or as a designated hitter.
Coaches needed
North Salinas is looking for a varsity head cheer coach for the 202324 season, and assistant track and field coaches for the jumps and pole vault. Contact athletic director Jean Ashen at jeankinn. ashen@salinasuhsd.org
Marina is looking for a JV girls volleyball coach in the fall and a boys volleyball coach this spring. Contact athletic director Juan Cisneros at jcisneros@mpusd.net