BRINGING THE HEAT—Simi Valley High senior Amanda Oliveto delivers a pitch during Pioneer practice. A year ago, Oliveto logged 110 strikeouts in 86 1/3 innings with a 1.14 earned run average. JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers Expectations are high for local high school softball teams.

That’s coming from the respective coaches at Simi Valley, Royal and Grace Brethren—not some smart-aleck sportswriter sitting behind a desk.

The Simi Valley Acorn takes a look at the local teams about to start the 2010 season:

Simi Valley Pioneers

When head coach Russ Michael says he’s excited about the season starting, he means it.

Simi Valley returns all eight starting position players, as well as starting pitchers Amanda Oliveto and Sophia Perez.

On top of all that, every player on the roster has aspirations and— equally important—the talent to play college softball.

“I’m anxious for the season to start,” Michael said. “We haven’t competed with anyone yet. It’s putting them on the field and seeing what they can do, that is what’s exciting for me.”

The Pioneers are aiming for a Marmonte League championship this year after securing second place last season.

After that, anything’s possible.

“We don’t set goals,” the coach said. “We just want to make the playoffs and do the best we can, one game at a time. The year we went 30-1 (in 2008), we had the same goal.”

Oliveto and Perez are softball’s version of Sandy Koufax and Don Drsydale.

The one-two pitching duo combined for 10 shutouts and 18 victories last year.

Perez, a junior, went 10-2 with 141 strikeouts, 22 walks and a 0.60 earned run average. Her senior colleague Oliveto—who has committed to UNLV—had eight wins, 110 strikeouts and a 1.14 ERA in 2009.

The eight returning Pioneer starters are catcher Sarah Goulding; outfielders Amanda Chatman, Jennifer Soria and Allison Cook; and infielders Taylor Cartwright, Callie Grant, Oliveto and Perez. Soria can also pitch.

Simi Valley has plenty of options off the bench with Jordyn Ball, Hannah Brown, Nicole Cheek, Chelsea Lovelace, Margarita Kilmartin, Kylee Malouf, Lauren Soles and Ashley Brown.

“Our depth is unbelievable this year, which is awesome,” Michael said.

The Pioneers open the season by hosting the 14-team Suzanne Manlet Softball Invitational this weekend. Royal and Westlake will also participate in the tournament.

The invitational is named in honor of former coach Manlet, who guided the SVHS softball team for 22 seasons. Manlet died in 2004 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Royal Highlanders

By their own high standards, the Highlanders had an off year in 2009.

They finished a respectable 15-11 overall and tied for fifth in the rugged Marmonte.

Royal has high hopes to return to the playoffs this season.

“Watch this team this year,” head coach Bill Dishon said. “They will definitely give you different results than they did last year.”

Ali Mosier, who missed part of last season, is healthy and reinvigorated. The sophomore was a force at the plate (.321 batting, team-high eight runs scored) and at shortstop with solid defense.

Dishon, who called Mosier “dynamic,” will give some necessary punch to an offense behind star pitcher Nancy Bowling.

Bowling, also a sophomore, started every game and finished with a 0.43 ERA and 301 strikeouts. On offense, Bowling led the Highlanders with a .343 batting average.

“Nancy is still pitching and hitting very well,” the skipper said. “She’s only going to get better and stronger. She’s already good.”

Seven sophomores played varsity ball as freshmen in 2009. The other five are Lauren Dudley, Brynn Lesovsky, Kylene Hatton, Katelyn Tollefson and Cami MacKey. Montanna Harrington is another sophomore on the roster.

Kayla Diaz, Rachel Duncan, Dani Newton, Amber Sanders, Prestyn Egizi, Kelyn Fillmore and Chelsea Hannon round out the ball club.

Dishon said this Highlander squad plays for each other.

“They’re a close-knit group of kids,” he said. “They get along well. They’re close and they have a lot of fun together. If they didn’t play softball, they’d have fun off the field. It’s a good group of kids.

“Their strength is that they have the will to get better. They all want to improve.”

Royal has its eyes set on a league title.

“We will absolutely be in the running for Marmonte this year,” Dishon said. “With all the girls back and Nancy on the mound, we have to be in contention.

“We always look forward to the playoffs. When you get in the playoffs, anything can happen. It only takes five games to get it done.”

Grace Brethren Lancers The Lancers are a unique group of ballplayers.

They boast two Division I stars while five of six freshmen have never played softball before. There are eight total newcomers.

Second-year coach Norma Skinner is anxious to see how the new pieces fit in the puzzle.

“It’s going to be an interesting year,” Skinner said. “We’re going to be a very young team. For me, as a coach, that’s exciting because it challenges me. It gives me a chance to work with the girls more and teach them the Grace way—the way I want them to play softball.”

Grace Brethren won a Frontier League title and reached the quarterfinals in the 2009 postseason.

Skinner hopes the team can make a deeper playoff run this year, to the semifinals and beyond.

Senior catcher Danielle Fletcher and junior pitcher Kassy Dunn propel the Lancers.

Fletcher will suit up for the Purdue Boilermakers next season while Dunn recently committed to the Memphis Tigers.

“The girls look up to them,” Skinner said of captains Fletcher and Dunn. “They’re doing a good job of keeping the girls together, helping out and making it fun.”

Jaimie Garcia is an impact senior at second base.

Becky Gourley will roam center field while fellow senior Kayley Winters has shifted to first base from third.

Sisters Sara and Emily Wall will fill voids in the infield. Tyler Delano, a newcomer to the sport, will likely start at right field.

Freshman Carleigh Peterson is a utility player who can pitch and play in the infield and outfield. Anna Nuss, Ashley Bunce, Emily Tabor and Bailey Acosta also compete for Grace Brethren.

Genevieve Ababseh and Skinner’s husband, Pat, assist the coach with teaching fundamental to the Lancers, who open the season at the Santa Ynez Lady Pirate Softball Tournament this weekend.

“We’re young and we’re going to continue to build,” Skinner said. “We’re going to still be competitive.”