COA Spotlight: North #2 Siskiyous

EAGLES PUSHING RECORDS “TO THE LIMIT”

Siskiyous Coach Doug Eastman has plenty of reasons to have that “Peaceful Easy Feeling” these days. Try 43 of them.

With an impressive 43-2 record (fewest losses in the state), his Eagles have climbed the charts like Don Henley and Glenn Frey singing “Hotel California.”

(OK, most of the current players weren’t even born when The Eagles dominated the billboard music charts in the 70’s, but their parents should get the
analogy)

Eastman, the North Coach of the Year, thinks if Siskiyous is ever going to win a state title NOW is the time.

“By far, this is the most talented team we’ve had,” said Eastman, who guided the school to the Final Eight in 2003. “The pieces of the puzzle are there. We have the experience, the offense, and the pitching. It’s pretty incredible.”

The Eagles have landed five players on the 2007 All-State Team – the most of any California school.

That group includes: sophomores OF Kimberly Connely (returning All-American & GVC Player of the Year, .387, 10 HR, 58 RBI), catcher Jessica Shiery (.472, 12 HR, 62 RBI – all team-highs), OF Ashley Geer (.450, 10 HR, 44 RBI), and pitcher Crystal Palacio (23-2, 1.33 ERA); and freshman 3B Stephanie Zwetschke (.431, 6 HR, 30 RBI).

Eastman says Palacio has been the team’s “big game” pitcher. She has 18 complete games, and has recorded 120 strikeouts in 141 innings of work.

Freshman pitcher Becca Anderson is equally impressive. Anderson is a perfect 16-0 with an ERA of 1.78.

Siskiyous’ only losses came against Sierra and Lassen, the team it beat by seven games for the Golden Valley Conference title (19-1). Their best run – 31 straight victories – was between Feb. 17 to April 1, beating playoff qualifiers like Reedley, Modesto, Diablo Valley, San Mateo (twice), San Jose, Butte, and first-round opponent Solano.

The Eagles beat Solano, 5-3, back on Feb. 24 when Palacio pitched four shutout innings (allowing just one hit) of relief to earn the win.

“Solano has a good team,” Eastman said. “They won their conference (Bay Valley, 20-4), and their hitting over .360 as a team. That’s a tough No. 15 seed.”

Since the Lassen defeat (2-1), the Eagles have strung together 11 consecutive wins where they’ve outscored opponents 111 to 24.

“We’ve been a resilient team,” Eastman said. “One through nine, we have a potent lineup. When you average 10 runs a game, and have good pitching, that’s tough for any opponent.”

It’s been a record-setting season for Siskiyous – new marks set for most wins (43), best winning percentage (.956), and home runs (48) – but Eastman is hoping this Eagles group can “Take It To The Limit.”

“Last season, we were eliminated by Sac City in the second round, 2-1 in 12 innings,” he said. “We have nine sophomores that remember that. For us to have this great season, I think we can make some noise. It’s pretty special when you come from a school with only 700 full-time students, and you’re beating these bigger schools. It’s good stuff.”


QUICK HITS: The Siskiyous lineup (.388 as a team) is set-up by their one- and two-hitters sophomore 1B Jenny Austin (.295, 48 R, 13 extra-base hits) and freshman UT Chrislyn Chewning (.369, 51 R, 15 extra-base hits, 36 RBI) … Chewning and sophomore 2B Alex Jordahl (.381, 22 RBI) were also voted First Team All-GVC … Shiery is one of two players in California (Sac City’s Cindy Oseguera) to have a batting average over .470, and collect more than 10 homers and 60 RBI … The Eagles are 22-0 at home this season.


- Compiled by Softball State Championship Publicist Eric Mendoza