A Family Affair
The Portage softball team has taken on the slogan “family” for the 2013 season. Although team bonding and playing as a unit are far from uncommon phrases uttered by high school athletes, the Portage squad stands out because of the family model that molds the varsity and junior varsity teams together.
“What makes playing for PHS so unique would have to be how close of a bond JV and varsity share despite the separate teams,” senior Katie Peksenak said. “Each girl on varsity has a sister on JV that we do nice things for and vice versa, whether it is decorating their locker or bringing them a Gatorade for the game. We are really unified as a program.”
Regulation Success
Portage holds a 5-0 record in games decided within the regulation seven innings, but stands at 5-2 overall with both losses coming in extra innings. The Indians pushed Chesterton, which entered the game ranked first by the Indiana Softball Coaches Association, to its limit on April 9, only to allow five runs in the eighth to fall 6-1 in extra innings.
The most thrilling victory of the season came in the first game of a double header on April 6 against Scecina when the Indians erased an 8-1 deficit in the final two innings to pull out an 11-10 victory.
Tape Measure Time
Three Indians have homered so far this season. Seniors Jalise McKnight and Haley Hodges both left the yard in the second game of the twin bill with Scecina, an 11-2 victory. Sophomore Kiley Jones, who was also the starting pitcher, helped herself in the game against Chesterton with a solo blast that accounted for Portage’s only tally.
Motherly Duties
After coaching her team to an 8-2 victory over Boone Grove in the season opener on March 29, head coach Lisa Hayes gave birth to a baby boy on Easter Sunday. Hayes has missed the last six games on maternity leave, although she did attend several in the stands with her son.
However, the team has not missed a beat under the direction of substitute head coach John Hall and assistant coach Jay Hodges. Hodges has over 25 years of experience coaching basketball, football, golf and softball at PHS, while Hall has coached basketball, cross country, wrestling, baseball and softball at Northwest High School, Hebron, South Central and Portage. He is returning to Portage after a one year stint as the South Central head coach.
A Road-Heavy Trek
Following tomorrow’s makeup game against La Porte and Saturday’s double header with Lafayette Harrison, the Portage softball team will face a daunting stretch of eight straight road games. The highlights of the stretch will be rematches with Crown Point and Chesterton on April 25 and 29 respectively.
Linkage
Click here to meet the 2013 Portage softball team!
Follow this link for more photos of the lady-Indians.
To read about Portage's 15-5 victory over Michigan City in the conference opener, click here.