Softball team recognizes players at post-season banquet

Fallbrook High School’s varsity softball team held its post-season banquet May 31 at the Fallbrook Golf Club’s Hukilau restaurant.

The banquet included a buffet, a season highlight video, the presentation of varsity letters, and the recognition of the San Diego Union-Tribune’s all-academic team as well as the presentation of awards. “We had a great time,” said Fallbrook co-coach Shannon Koran.

Koran noted that the Hukilau had allowed the softball team to use its banquet room for fundraisers during the season. “We kind of like to give back to them a bit,” she said.

The players voted on the team awards other than the Coaches’ Award. The Best Offensive Player award went to senior Kaylie Drew; the Best Defensive Player award was given to sophomore Hailey Drew; and junior Mallory Greenwood received the Most Improved honors. Koran and co-coach Patti Drew honored sophomore Lauren Hirota with the Coaches’ Award.

“It’s always nice to be recognized by your teammates for the performance that you do and the year that you have,” Patti Drew said.

Kaylie Drew batted .415 with a .495 on-base percentage and a .690 slugging average. Her 34 hits included six doubles, a triple, and five home runs, and she also walked 15 times. She scored 23 runs while driving in 32, and she stole three bases. Drew struck out only four times in 104 plate appearances.

“She led in almost every category offensively and was really the backbone of our team,” Koran said.

Hailey Drew’s teammates voted her as the defensive player of the year even though she led the team in errors. “That’s just a credit to her athleticism, really,” Koran said.

Drew was the Warriors’ shortstop. She had a .877 fielding percentage with 26 errors in 201 total chances, and she participated in 10 double plays. “Even though she didn’t have the best defensive year, the fact that the kids voted her the best defensive player says a lot about her and what she means to our team defensively on the field,” Koran said.

While the Drew sisters played off-season softball, Greenwood does not play year-round ball. She spent two years on Fallbrook’s junior varsity team before making her varsity debut in 2012. “She made tremendous strides this year,” Koran said of Greenwood. “Didn’t get a ton of playing time, but when she did she took full advantage of the at-bats that she got.”

Greenwood was a shortstop on the junior varsity. This year Koran and Patti Drew gave Greenwood a choice of being the JV captain or of being a reserve on the varsity. “She chose us and really worked hard to try to break in,” Koran said.

When Greenwood played the field, she was usually in center field. “Mallory is one of those kids who works really hard every single day of practice and does whatever we ask of her,” Drew said. “She knew she wouldn’t get a lot of playing time and she didn’t care. She worked to get better.”

Greenwood, who attends Oasis High School, will likely see more playing time in 2013 since three of Fallbrook’s four 2012 seniors were outfielders. “We were really happy with her, and we think she’s definitely going to contribute for our team next year,” Drew said.

Hirota was the Warriors’ first baseman. “Lauren is just a great kid. She works really hard, and she was rock solid at first base,” Drew said.

“She’s a kid that works hard and listens and tries to make adjustments and made a huge improvement from last year,” Koran said of Hirota, “Just a great kid that works hard at everything.”

Cara Verdugo did not attend the banquet, but the other three seniors gave speeches during the evening. “They did a great job of speaking to the underclassmen,” Koran said. “It was nice to hear them reflect a little bit on the three years we’ve had with them.”

Koran and Patti Drew took over as co-coaches in 2010. In addition to Kaylie Drew and Verdugo, Kristin George and Lizzy Hutzler graduated in June.

The Warriors’ overall record, including two CIF playoff wins and two losses in the double-elimination CIF tournament, was 21-13. Fallbrook’s 6-4 record in Avocado East League games placed third in the six-team standings.

“We just were a very cohesive unit, and I think that really helped in our success,” Patti Drew said. “We all got along really well.”

To comment on this story online, visit http://www.thevillagenews.com.