In the News: South City Has a Memorable Softball Opener

South City’s new on-campus diamond was the third new field to debut this season, with the Lady Warriors’ home opener Wednesday. South City clubbed Design Tech 14-3 for its first win of the year. And second-year head coach Dana Donnenwirth raved not just about his team’s play, but about their reaction to the historic home opener.

 

“The players were super excited to have a new field,” Donnenwirth said, “to be able to play on campus, all the chalk was perfect, all the bags were brand new … it was just a perfect day in South City. The girls are really stoked to have their own field that they can call their own.”

 

Prior to this year, the only diamond sport in SSFUSD to have its home field on campus was El Camino baseball. The other three — El Camino softball, and South City baseball and softball — all moved onto on-campus fields this season.

 

For generations, the Lady Warriors called the diamond at neighboring Ponderosa Elementary School their home.

 

“It’s the true hops on the new field and beautifully flat grass with no gopher holes on the field,” Donnenwirth said. “And having a fence behind our outfielders can make a difference. And just having a field on campus.”

 

Four-year senior Hailey Meisenbach starred on both sides of the ball for South City.

 

As the team’s starting pitcher, she stepped into history by throwing the first official pitch on the new diamond. She went on to record the complete-game victory, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out eight in the six-inning, mercy-rule win.

 

At the plate, South City banged out 17 hits. Meisenbach was one of two hitters to record a perfect 4-for-4 day. The senior doubled twice, tabbed two RBIs, and scored the first run in the new diamond’s history on a first-inning RBI single by freshman Angelina Rogers.

 

“[Meisenbach] lived up to the new-field expectations … and blessed it with her talent and her ability that day,” Donnenwirth said.

 

Rogers also went 4 for 4, adding a double and two RBIs. Michelle Hara, a junior, added a 3-for-5 day with two doubles and three RBIs. Alanah Torres, a junior, was 3 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.

 

Donnenwirth said one of the coolest features of the new softball diamond is its inclusiveness to the school’s other athletes. The Warriors baseball team, now also practicing and playing on campus, finished practice Wednesday and afterward was able to stop by and watch the softball game, and do some “hooting and hollering,” Donnenwirth said.

 

“So that was actually really cool,” Donnenwirth said. “And something we would never have gotten playing off campus at Ponderosa.”