Plantation squad pressures foes in softball play
The Plantation Pressure travel fast-pitch girls’ softball club is building its reputation as an elite program. One of the organization’s teams — Under-18 Gold — will play in several showcase tournaments over the spring and summer.
“The Plantation Pressure softball organization takes it very seriously. We have girls who have aspirations to play college softball,” said Bob Stevens, assistant coach with the Under-18 Gold squad.
Stevens said that, over the last four years, the Gold team has had 17 players receive collegiate scholarships to play softball. During showcase tournaments, such as those next month in Clearwater and Sarasota, Stevens speaks to college coaches to promote the program and the players.
“It’s a great opportunity for the girls to play in front of college coaches and play against great competition,” Stevens said.
The Pressure will play in the Clearwater Memorial Qualifier and Sarasota Heat Showcase before heading to the Florida State Championships in Altamonte Springs in June. The team will then attend the Xtreme Dimensions Summer Showcase in Ewing, N.J., later that month. The girls will continue their tour in July at the TNT Summer Showcase (Quakerstown, Pa.) and the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship (Surrey, British Columbia). The team will also that month play at the Atlanta Legacy Showcase (Marietta, Ga.) and the New England’s Finest Tournament (Plainville, Mass.)
“The state of the program is at its strongest right now as the girls have shown the ability to play at such a (high) competitive level,” Pressure Under-18 Gold Head Coach Richard Waldorf said. “The showcase in Canada in July is a first for the program.”
Plantation’s Under-18 Gold team includes outfielder/second baseman Megan Ashworth, pitcher Sierra Bilinski, Victoria Diaz, infielder Jillian DuBois, Lindsey Fischbach, catcher/first baseman Kaitlyn Fletcher, outfielder Shannon Harrington, Rebecca Hart, catcher/infielder Camila Lopez, Alyssa Magobet, Megan McGrath, pitcher/first baseman Emily Osteen, infielder Jennie Polak, third baseman/outfielder Haley Pszyk, pitcher/shortstop Addison Simpson and first baseman/outfielder Nava Susi.