The start of the softball season has gone nearly perfect for the Ponte Vedra Sharks, who reeled off six straight wins to open the year and have a record of 7-1 through the first eight games.
What has made the Sharks so dangerous to start is that they are controlling games not just at the plate by scoring runs but they are backing it up with stellar play by their pitchers in the circle.
The Sharks have outscored opponents 69-19 through eight games, including three contests where they have tallied double figures in runs.
Four players currently have batting averages over .400, including junior Aoife Weaver who leads the way with a whopping .483 followed by Natasha Deutch, Camryn Straub and Emma Shin.
Weaver has been tracking the ball excellently so far and has a knack for making the most of her hits as well with 13 RBIs on 14 hits, both team-highs, including four doubles and a home run.
Deutch has shown speed on the basepaths, and it has played havoc for opposing teams. She has a team-high 13 runs and two stolen bases so far this season.
Shin has the most extra base hits as she has matched Weaver’s four doubles and has a triple to go with them as well.
Not only has Weaver been disruptive at the plate but she has also been a force on the mound and has yet to lose a start this year as she sits 7-0 with a 2.12 earned run average.
There have been moments when she has hit batters and allowed runners on base but she and the defense behind her have always been up to the challenge to this point.
While she is hitting .400-plus at the plate she is holding opposing batters to an average of .295, which presents quite a difference and a major reason why the Sharks have come storming out of the gate.
Many of the team leaders for the Sharks are not seniors as the team continues to grow and find its potential despite being relatively young at several positions.
However, senior first baseman Alaina Daughtry provides a leadership presence and already has a home run to her name on the year.
Because the team is so young but talented, it is going to be interesting to see if they can maintain the early season pace, and if so, could be a definite contender as the season progresses in Class 5A.
