From time to time we’ll look back at key players and teams and today we look back at the OC Batbusters – McNee team from 2011 which won the PGF 14U National Championship.
That team was led by Head Coach Gene Clark with Mike Rowland and Greg Canfield serving as assistant coaches.
Here is a look back at the team as remembered by Coach Clark with a player-by-player rundown…
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This team persevered through a ton of drama at the end of 2010 winter season, but we knew the team we had would be very good once the holidays were over and we started up again in 2011.
The whole team and coaches came back to prove we would be stronger then ever. We were not even considered to be the best Batbuster team as Mike Stith’s team and Batbuster Black both had very good athletes.
We took that as a challenge and the girls really responded, doing what was best for the team and not caring about individual goals. The girls on our team really played and supported one another to the fullest.
Once we won the TC Memorial Day Classic and qualified by beating some very good teams in the PGF Qualifier, including Batbuster Black, we knew that year could be something special if the player all continued to buy in to what we wanted them to do.
We were still the underdog going into the PGF Nationals and just went about our business one game at a time.
I believe in any tournament the best team on paper doesn’t always win and this is the perfect way to describe our team—we were definitely not the favorite!
Through the adversity from the start of the season and with one of our players losing her father to cancer during the PGF Nationals, this team just rallied around that. They figured out a way to battle through all of it to come out on top.
It didn’t hurt that Hayley Copeland, our pitcher in the finals, struck out a total of 14 batters against a Corona Angel-Knighten team I would say was probably the best offensive team in our age group that year.
This will be a year the girls will always remember and hopefully can pull from during their college careers as this group of girls showed how special a team of destiny can really be.
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The Road to Victory (2011 PGF Nationals – 14U)
W 2-1 – Irvine Sting (10 innings)
W 6-1 – Lady Magic
W 7-2 – Lights Out
W 6-1 – CA Breeze (Quarterfinals)
W 9-1 – Corona Angels-Lockman (Semifinals)
W 3-0 – Corona Angels-Knighten (Finals)
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The 2011 OC Batbusters – McNee Players (comments by Coach Clark)
LF Annie Toczynski (2014, Syracuse)… now with Bownet 18G
“Annie would go thru a wall for her coach! She’s has excellent speed and a great hitter and was our spark plug during the season and the PGF run. Annie was a 2nd team All-Maramonte League pick last year and captain this year for Semi Valley High.”
CF Kennedy Clark (2015, South Carolina)… now with So Cal A’s-Richardson
“Kennedy has an excellent work ethic and was one of the best athletes on the team. She also won ASA nationals in 2008 with the 10U Teamsmith program and the 16U PGF finals last year with OCBB-Myers. Kennedy was a 1st team All-Sierra League selection for Ayala High last year and is ranked No. 46 on the 2015 Hot 100 by Students Sports Softball.”
RF Celeste Wood (2015, Michigan State)… now with So Cal A’s-Myers
“Celeste also did some pitching on this team during the season. She’s very athletic and can really hit the ball. She played in the 16U PGF finals last year with OCBB-Myers and was a 1st team All-Hacienda League last year for Los Altos High.”
3B Faith Canfield (2015, Michigan)… now with So Cal A’s-Richardson
“Faith can play any position on the field and for a coach that is huge to be able to rely on her wherever she is. She is a big game performer and has a very good softball IQ. Faith also won 12U ASA 2010 Nationals and 18U PGF Nationals in 2012 and 2013 with the So Cal A’s-Richardson team. She’s ranked No. 16 on the 2015 Hot 100 by Students Sports Softball.”
SS Sara Ketelsleger (2014, Boise State)… now with Explosion
“Sara is a very versatile player and was one of the hardest workers on the team. She was a 2nd team All-Sierra League pick last year for Ayala High and is one of the leading hitters on 18U Explosion now.”
2B Reece Vanderhoff (2014, Marshall)… now with Teamsmith
“We picked Reece up late in the season because she was a very gritty player and she really came through at PGF that year. She’s now a varsity starter at El Modeno High.”
1B Taylor Rowland (2015, Tennessee)… now with So Cal A’s-Richardson
“Taylor had the game-winning double against the Corona Angels to drive in the key runs during our championship. She also won the 2008 ASA 10U Nationals with Teamsmith and the 16U PGF Finals last year with OCBB-Myers. Taylor was a 1St team All-Sierra League pick and is ranked No. 56 in the 2015 Hot 100 by Student Sports Softball.”
C Sierra Bjostad (2015, UC Santa Barbara)… now with OC Batbusters-Ybarra/Lastrapes
“Sierra caught every game of PGF Nationals and was a big asset to our pitching staff. She had injuries the last couple of years but is back healthy now for her new high Mission Viejo and club team, the OC Batbusters-Ybarra/Lastrapes. Sierra still hit over .500 for Mater Dei last year in limited action.”
P Hayley Copeland (2014, South Carolina)… now with So Cal A’s-Richardson
“Haley had been on the Corona Angels Knighten team the last few years prior to the 2011 season so this was a huge game for her going against her old team and coach. She set a PGF Finals record with 14 strikeouts and only gave up only three hits the whole game. Haley had .068 ERA during the PGF Nationals in 2011, winning all four games she pitched. She also has every single pitching record at Esperanza High and was a 1st team All-State pick in 2013. If that wasn’t enough, she also won the 18U PGF Nationals last year with the So Cal A’s!”
P Sarah Costlow (2014, George Washington)… now with So Cal A’s-Quarles
“Sarah tragically lost her dad to Cancer during the PGF championship run, but somehow was able to pitch and win two critical games during Nationals including the semi-final, beating Corona Angels-Lockman 9-1. The team rallied behind her for our championship run. Sarah was in the PGF 16U finals last year with the OC Batbusters-Myers team.”
DH Nikki Butler (2016, uncommitted)… now plays for Firecrackers-Blanco
Nikki came up huge as a DH knocking in the winning run against Irvine Sting in our first game in the PGF Nationals, a 2-1 win in 10 innings. If we lose that game we go straight to the losers bracket for a harder path. Nikkie was a 1st team All-Freeway League honoree as a freshman in 2013.”
DH Brittany Violette (2015, uncommitted)… now plays for So Cal A’s-Myers
“Brittany also did some DH work during this PGF run. She pitched for us during the season as well and since then has been a two-time 1st Team All Mount Baldy League pick at Montclair High.”
UT Cera Stanley (2014, uncommitted)… now plays for OC Batbusters-Ybarra/Lastrapes
“Cera is a good utility player as she can play almost anywhere on the field. She is a four-year varsity player for Ayala High and had a huge hit against Mission Viejo High in the 2013 CIF to help upset them in the quarterfinals.”
INF Taryn Atlee (2016, uncommitted)… now plays for OC Batbusters- Smith
“Taryn is a very athletic, good middle infielder with excellent speed. She was 2nd team All League as a freshman at Foothill High and has several colleges looking at her.”
C Sam Saporito (2015, Eastern Michigan)… now with OC Batbusters
“Sam played outfield and was a catcher for us. She now plays varsity for Roosevelt High School.”
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Finally, here’s a video highlight clip of the team from 2011…