The Bee’s Softball Top 20: Whitney’s power play; beloved coach Mello returns after tumor
As Whitney High School’s Mya Flindt walked to the plate in the seventh inning of a Sierra Foothill League showdown against Del Oro last week, she was aware that she was on the verge of a milestone.
For the past five years of competition, both in high school and on the travel-ball circuit, the senior catcher kept track of her home runs. After hitting two earlier in the game, she knew she was sitting on 99 for her career. What was going through her mind?
“I thought, well, two is nice, but why not three?” Flindt said.
She worked the count to her favor and then launched one high and deep over the left field foul pole and into the live oaks 250 feet from home plate. Home run No. 100, along with the other two long balls and seven RBIs, propelled the No. 4 Wildcats to an 11-4 win over the Golden Eagles. It also overshadowed a two-homer game from Del Oro’s Ariana Bottle.
Whitney won all three of its games during the week to keep pace with Oak Ridge atop the SFL standings. Flindt was 7 for 11 with 10 RBIs on the week. She said the Wildcats are starting to cook.
“Tylie Kitchen hit two home runs this week and she’ s on a tear,” Flindt said. “Hanna Duncan is adding more spin to her pitches and it’s fun to watch her work. As a team we are starting play our best.”
As the catcher, Flindt said she has something else going in her favor.
“I get to watch my sister Alyssa play shortstop every game,” she said. “She’s been making amazing plays and is really hitting well.”
Mya Flindt is hitting .514 with five home runs. Alyssa Flindt, a junior, is hitting .357 with three homers.
Next year, the older sister will be playing for the South Carolina Gamecocks on scholarship while the younger Flindt will have another year at Whitney before heading off to Boise State on scholarship.
Mello returns
The big story around the Whitney campus is that longtime head coach Mike Mello, who retired after last season, is back in the dugout, one month after having a massive benign tumor removed from his brain.
After a Whitney game March 14, Mello was not feeling well. His wife, Teri, did a quick assessment and knew she needed to call 911. Imaging revealed a large white mass on the right side of Mello’s brain. Doctors determined it had been growing there for at least two decades and had to come out.
“He said it was larger than they thought, the size of a softball, and they knocked it out of the park,” Mello said.
With current head coach Mark Watson juggling schedules between the NAIA No. 8-ranked Jessup Warriors softball team of Rocklin and Whitney, Mello was summoned back to the dugout this spring. He was in the dugout to see Mya Flindt’s hat trick.
“Mya has such great character,” Mello said. “Not only is she putting up great numbers, she’s lifting her whole team with her leadership. South Carolina is getting a great athlete and a great team player.”
SFL race
Duncan, the Flindts and the Wildcats have given up only 20 runs this season, a stat bested only by Oak Ridge, which beat Whitney 3-1 earlier this season.
SFL teams are beating up on each other, but No. 2 Oak Ridge (11-1) looks like it has the depth and balance to go the distance. Since losing to Capital Christian nine games ago, the El Dorado Hills squad has not lost.
Shortstop Carly Short is hitting .457 to lead the Trojans, and sophomore catcher Brook Paratore carries a .353 average. In the circle, freshman Kennedi Freeland has an 0.27 earned run average and junior Ellison Schroeder is at 1.08. Combined, the two have fanned 135 batters 91 innings.
When the Trojans get on base, they like to run, having stolen 24 stolen bases. Rocklin, which owns a tie with the Trojans, is 4-2-1 in SFL play. Despite a loss to Folsom last week, the Thunder is a clear challenge for Oak Ridge and Whitney.
▪ Yuba City still looks to be the team to beat in the Capital Valley Conference, but Bella Vista may have a say. The Broncos beat the Honkers 12-7 as Alyssa Dethlefson struck out 13 and hit a three-run triple. Bella Vista, Yuba City and Inderkum each have just one league loss.
▪ Sixth-ranked St. Francis has won four in a row and — like Sheldon and Elk Grove — has only one league loss. But Pleasant Grove has the top pitcher in the league in Maddie Lawson and still must be considered the favorite.
THE BEE’S TOP 20
Softball
Records entering the week
1. Capital Christian (9-2)
2. Oak Ridge (11-1)
3. Pleasant Grove (9-3)
4. Whitney (8-2)
5. Sheldon (11-5)
6. St. Francis (12-3)
7. Ponderosa (10-2)
8. Yuba City (13-5)
9. Sutter (16-0)
10. Vacaville (10-5)
11. Rocklin (7-9)
12. Dixon (10-2)
13. Elk Grove (10-7)
14. Christian Brothers (11-4)
15. Vista del Lago (10-6)
16. Pioneer (9-5)
17. Folsom (9-9)
18. Bella Vista (10-3)
19. Roseville (11-9)
20. East Nicolaus (11-2)
Bubble: Davis (10-5), Inderkum (10-6), Kennedy (10-4), Laguna Creek (6-6), Rosemont ((9-1), Vacaville (6-3), Wheatland (12-5), Woodland Christian (10-3).
— PeteBeeSports@Gmail.com