Softball 2016: Big Blue Machine

Alhambra may have the Bay Area’s best 1-through-9 softball order — and it may not be close

By CHACE BRYSON, Editor

For most coaches, the toughest roster decisions are when cuts need to be made.

Paul Buccellato may feel a little differently by the end of the 2016 Alhambra High softball season. As the coach of the two-time North Coast Section Division II defending champs — and a roster that lost just one player to graduation, while adding an all-league caliber transfer — Buccellato’s daily lineup decisions could be agonizing.

However, he knows he won’t have any NorCal coaches weeping for him. Sympathy will be non-existent.

“We’re going to certainly have a target on our back,” said Buccellato, who is in his 17th year coaching softball at the Martinez school and his seventh as head coach.

The Bulldogs are built to absorb the blows, and deliver their own. Buccellato returns every bat from an offense that hit .377, scored 276 runs, hit 26 home runs, posted a .445 on base percentage and stole 107 bases. Alhambra blasted its way to a 25-3 record, closing 2015 on a 17-game winning streak. With all that offense, there should be little surprise to see the Bulldogs opening 2016 as SportStars’ No. 2 ranked team in Northern California and No. 12 in the state by CalHiSports.com.

Leading the offensive machine is a dynamic duo. Two juniors, shortstop Briana Perez and second baseman Karlee Sparacino, are Pac-12 commits who combined for 95 hits, 90 runs scored and 87 RBI in 2015. UCLA-commit Perez hit .608 and scored 55 runs and had 26 extra-base hits, including a whopping 14 home runs from the leadoff spot. Sparacino, an Oregon pledge, batted .448 and led the team with 45 RBI.

Buccellato coached both of the infielders’ older sisters, Kylee Perez (UCLA) and Hailey Sparacino (Saint Mary’s), and won titles with them in 2011 and 2014. But the younger siblings, both freshman in 2014, can finish with four banners.

“The younger sisters are always better it seems,” the coach said. “I think it’s just that they’re working that much harder  trying to keep up with their sisters and wanting to be better.”

In Perez’s case, there won’t be much argument from the older sister.

“Growing up, she was always competing with me,” Kylee Perez told SportStars in June 2015. “But I’d say when she reached her eighth-grade year, that’s when I realized that this kid is probably going to be better than me.”

Rounding out Alhambra’s captains and offensive leaders is Saint Mary’s-bound Cara DiMercurio. The senior was an all-league centerfielder in 2015 when she hit .440 with seven home runs and 28 RBI. She’ll move to catcher as Buccellato tries to create space for newcomer Kimiko Zapanta, a speedy transfer from Clayton Valley Charter-Concord.

Zapanta, a junior committed to Saint Mary’s, hit .554 with 36 hits and 32 runs scored for the Eagles in 2015. She was also 35 of 35 in stolen base attempts.

“I had no idea who she was,” Buccellato said. “Then I started talking to some other coaches in the area. One finally told me, ‘I’ve faced her the last three years and never got her out.’”

Adding Zapanta won’t only affect DiMercurio, but also Perez. “I think I can put Kimiko at leadoff and we can move Bri down in the order,” Buccellato said. “Now when Bri hits a home run, instead of a solo home run, it can be a two-run shot.”

Among the only question marks the Alhambra team faces will be replacing the one senior it did lose: Pitcher, Shelby Clemons. Clemons went 21-2 with a 1.10 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 121.2 innings.

The leading candidate will be senior Samantha Whitworth, who did see some time as a junior. Whitworth pitched 44.2 innings last season, finishing 3-1 and with a 2.98 ERA.

“She doesn’t throw as hard as our previous pitchers, but hits her location and has good spin on the ball,” Buccellato said.

The Alhambra offense will also include first baseman Regan Silva (.312, 26 RBI in 2015), third baseman Lindsey Osmer (.261, 23 RBI) and outfielders Madeline Cervantes (.403, 17 RBI) and Jojo Kelly (.315, 24 runs, 13 RBI). Returning all-leaguers, outfielder Miranda Nilson and designated hitter Morgan Azevedo, are also threats at the plate.

“Whoever is hitting is going to be playing,” Buccellato said.

Again, his job won’t be easy.