Buonarigo believes best still to come

Bryce Alderton

Rick Buonarigo admits he has high expectations for the Costa Mesa

High softball team.

And with the lineup returning, his expectations may be justified.

Losing just one starter (Tess Lindsay) from last season’s team

that reached the CIF Southern Section Division IV Playoffs for the

third straight year before bowing out to Western in the first round,

Costa Mesa boasts a lineup that Buonarigo believes will shine

offensively.

“We had 12 home runs last year,” Buonarigo said. “We’ve got a lot

of power. The girls put the ball in play.”

Returning senior shortstop Ann Marie Topps, a first-team All-CIF

selection last year after making the second team in 2001, hit .444

and set Newport-Mesa highs in hits (36), home runs (six), RBIs (28)

and runs (21) to go with eight doubles and two triples. Topps will

continue her softball career for the University of Oregon next

season.

But the lineup doesn’t live and die with Topps. She will be

surrounded by returning seniors Jade Moss (center field), Jennifer

Jordon (outfield), Katy Renish (third base) and Alejandra Gallardo

(pitcher) along with juniors Jane-E Yamamoto (second base/pitcher),

Uyen Mai (second base/outfield), both second-team All-Pacific Coast

League selections a year ago, Michelle Miller (catcher) and Teresa

Lau (utility).

Yamamoto hit .310 (22 for 73) with four home runs, 15 RBIs, 10

runs and stole nine bases in 12 tries. Mai was safe on 27 of 28 steal

attempts and scored 18 runs. She batted .290 (18 for 62). Mesa collected 103 stolen bases last season and Buonarigo expects speed to

play a part again.

Returning sophomores Lauren DeMello (catcher), a first-team

All-PCL pick as a freshman, and Kelly Topps (first base/outfield),

who received honorable mention in all-league voting last season, as

well as Paulina Rodriguez (utility) and pitcher Jackie Butler, round

out Mesa’s lineup.

DeMello hit .356 (26 for 73) with one home run, 10 RBIs and 12

runs. She hit two doubles and stole eight bases in nine attempts.

Butler will fill the void vacated by Lindsay, Mesa’s Female

Athlete of the Year for her 17-9 showing last season. Lindsay posted

a 1.13 ERA last season, including an 0.79 mark in the PCL, where she

went, 7-3 and gained first-team all-league laurels. She now plays for

Santa Ana College.

“(Butler) has four good pitches and is developing speed,”

Buonarigo said. “She’s mentally tough.”

Butler, along with several other Mesa players, participated on

summer travel ball teams together. Buonarigo expects players’

familiarity with one another to prove dividends.

“The girls get used to each other in regard to their abilities and

they know others’ limitations and what they excel at,” Buonarigo

said. “If one person is not doing it, others have to pick her up.”

This season brings a change in leagues for Mesa, from the PCL to

the Golden West League. Mesa has played Golden West League teams

regularly in the past, so Buonarigo said not much will change with

two league games against each school.

The major change will be one less game against long-standing

rival, Corona del Mar, Buonarigo said.

“The rivalry has heated up in the last two years,” Buonarigo said.

“They have practically their whole team returning except for a couple

of players. At least we have one game with them.”

Assistant Louis Vasquez returns for his sixth season with Mesa and

Buonarigo readies for his third season in his second stint at the

school. Buonarigo coached at Mesa from 1990-95 before coaching for

three seasons at Orange Coast College, the last in 2000.

Defensively, Buonarigo believes his unit is stronger than last

season, which fuels optimism about the season opener Friday in the

Costa Mesa Invitational.

“I’m excited to see how far we’ve come along,” Buonarigo said.