Setting the pace

Douglas High School softball still looks like the favorite in the Class 5A Northern Nevada landscape.

With an 10-3 overall record and a 4-0 mark in league play, the Tigers are continuing to build off the successes of last season.

In the circle, Talia Tretton has been nothing short of exceptional.

The senior has a 1.37 ERA in 76.2 innings of work in the circle.

She’s fanned 137 opposing batters already this season and is allowing opponents to get on base at a .190 clip.

Tretton ranks 36^th in the country in total strikeouts (minimum of 300 batters faced).

Despite having thrown every inning this season for the Tigers, Tretton has still lowered her ERA and opponents have a worse on-base percentage against the senior hurler then they did last season.

TIGER SLUGGERS

While Tretton has been sending opposing batters packing, the Tiger offense continues to be one of the toughest outs in the state.

Six of their last seven wins have come by 10-run mercy rule.

Douglas hit a record-setting 67 home runs last spring, which was the most by any team in Nevada state history.

This season, the Tigers aren’t quite on the same torrid pace, but have still hit 17 home runs in 13 games.

Lilyann Lee, who recently committed to Feather River Community College to continue her softball career, has been one of the Tigers’ breakout sluggers this spring.

After hitting .305 last season with six home runs, the senior has improved her batting average by nearly 200 points (.500) through the season’s first 13 games.

The senior, whose walk-up song is “The Imperial March” from the Star Wars saga, has been a force at the place already, matching her six home runs from last season.

“I feel like it’s just me maturing a little bit at the plate,” said Lee of her batting average improvement. “(I) can’t go chasing pitches.”

Lee has taken aim at the Class 5A single-season home run record of 20 for the rest of the season.

“I think she’s more confident in herself,” said Tretton of Lee. “She’s an incredibly hard worker in general.”

NO EASY OUTS

Alongside Lee, Haley Wilkinson has continued crushing the ball with four homers, five doubles and a triple to go along with her .500 batting average.

Annie Hill’s batting average is up nearly 100 points from last season (.349 to .429), and she has five extra-base hits so far this season.

Zora Simpson has a pair of doubles this spring after roping a .442 batting average last season.

“Our middle lineup is very threatening. We know that we can hit. It’s a really threatening batting lineup, honestly,” Lee said.

Tretton echoed Lee’s sentiment.

“I think we’re really strong in general. They’re super gritty and they try to do anything they can to get on base,” Tretton said of the order.

As a team, Douglas is hitting .350.

With the bulk of the league season still ahead, the Tigers have established the standard for their 5A opponents. And, after winning last season’s Class 5A state title, they will continue to have a target on their backs.

(Douglas High senior and Grand Canyon softball signee Haley Wilkinson connects with an extra-base hit against Bishop Manogue earlier this season. Wilkinson and the Tigers have 40 extra-base hits in 13 games this season. / Ron Harpin)