Del Oro softball blanks Sheldon, looks to repeat as section champ

Anytime a team wins a championship with a senior-heavy roster, some think the next season will be a rebuilding year. That's not the case for Del Oro High School. The Golden Eagle softball team has just six returning players from last year's Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship squad, the first for the program since 2002. Although Del Oro lost several players, manager Sean Erickson feels his team isn't rebuilt, it's reloaded. "I think that's the one thing that we have is we've got a great fit with our players. They understand the culture of softball at Del Oro High School," Erickson says. "It's been maintained for a long time. We've allowed ourselves to maintain that culture of softball that I speak to and that culture has made our community a softball community, which makes us a softball school." Erickson, who has been at the helm for 24 years, explained, "In our small community, we still establish and promote and build young softball players. I think that's part of their motivating factor." The Golden Eagles made a splash in their season opener Wednesday bybeating defending Division I section champion Sheldon 7-0. Junior Gabby Enyart went 2 for 3 with four RBIs and a double. "In my view, she's an all-league center fielder at least," Erickson says of Enyart. "Everything I asked her to do gets done. Her commitment and her effort are unbelievable and unmatched." Perhaps the biggest shoes to fill fall on pitcher Daniella Morillas, who is the new ace for the Eagles. Morillas replaces Caroline Grimes, who was considered among the best players in the state last season. Morillas impressed in her first outing, allowing one hit and striking out 13. "Daniella has a strong understanding of her role and responsibility in the circle, and she knows that our understanding and expectation is if we control the circle and the defense falls into line, then all we have to do is touch the plate once or twice and we can win a game," Erickson says. Del Oro will have a tough road back to the section championship as it navigates a daunting Sierra Foothill League schedule that features powerful programs such as Rocklin and Folsom. This season also poses a unique challenge for all spring sports, as the weather hasn't been cooperative in the first two weeks. The Golden Eagles' Monday contest against Franklin was canceled, and although there are games scheduled for later in the week against Elk Grove and Lincoln, there is a possibility the next time they take the field will be their SFL opener against Whitney on Tuesday, March 14. "That's how it goes and that's the pressures and the stresses of this game," Erickson says. "We know that the game will get here when it gets here and we have to be prepared for its arrival and not be worrying about the opponent or focusing on the weather."