The Cougar softball program had its inaugural season in 1977 under the leadership of Head Coach Pam Robertson. In 1979 Coach Diane Campagna took the helm for the Cougars. She was the Head Coach from 1979-1987. The Taft College Softball team brought home its first conference title under Coach Campagna.
After the 1987 season the TC softball program welcomed Don Bandy as its new Head Coach. Bandy was the previous assistant in Coach Campagna’s system. Under the reigns of Coach Bandy the Cougars were 383-324-4 overall, winning the Conference Championship 7 times. In the spring of 2006 Bandy decided that he would end his 20-year tenure as a Taft College Cougar coach.
In the fall of 2006, the current Head Coach, Stefanie Walsh was hired to replace Coach Bandy. In the years since her hire, the Cougars continue to make strides to become legitimate conference contenders year in and year out. The Cougar softball team is built on five characteristics: Pride, Loyalty, Honor, Discipline and Work Ethic. Walsh believes that if those five characteristics are in place success is sure to follow. The sounds that can be heard from the Cougar softball field on a daily basis are erratic at best. You can hear the crack of softballs off the bat, bodies hitting the ground, loud words of encouragement, laughter, and the occasional bellowing scream. Energy exudes from the Cougar softball field and is carried over into the student-athletes accomplishments in the classroom.
It is a priority of the Cougar softball team to perform not only on the field but also in the classroom and in the community. During the last three years the Cougars have had seven academic all-Americans and have had team GPA’s above a 3.0. The TC softball team also believes in giving back to the community. The Cougars participate in the Salvation Army bell ringing campaign during the Holliday season, they collect foods for the college ASB canned food drive, and they participate in the opening day ceremonies for the WSPRD Ponytail softball league, and hold a community softball clinic during spring break.
Walsh believes that the lessons learned by being a part of an intercollegiate athletic team are immeasurable. They are lessons that can mold our lives and the lives of people around us. Each year brings new challenges and new lessons and one thing’s for sure; the Cougars will be there, awaiting those challenges, ready to pounce.
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TC Lands 5 on All-CVC Softball Team
by Dennis McCall
May 7, 2013
Taft Midway Driller
Five Taft College sophomore softball players earned All-Central Valley Conference honors.
Earning first-team honors were centerfielder Chelsea Eli-Kido and shortstop Ashley McKeown while third baseman Brooklyn Amador was named second team and pitcher Jessica Neher and infielder/pitcher Peyton Buen were honorable mention.
Leadoff hitter Eli-Kido led the team in hits with 53, posted a .398 batting average and had a .452 on-base percentage. She also was second on the team in stolen bases with seven.
McKeown led the team in hitting with her .433 batting average. She had a .504 on-base percentage and a .567 slugging percentage with nine doubles, a triple and a homer. She drove in 15 runs.
Amador hit .410, led the team in doubles with 13, belted four homes and a triple, and led the team in runs batted in with 34. She also led the team in scoring with 28 runs.
Neher, a Taft High product, led the CVC in complete games with 19 and was second in the conference in strikeouts with 76. She posted a 4.36 earned run average.
Buen played first base and saw limited duty in the pitching circle. She hit .287 and led the team in stolen bases with 9 in 10 attempts. She pitched 12 innings in relief with a 1.75 ERA.
The Cougars finished fourth in the conference with a 10-8 record (19-21 overall).
Conference champion Fresno City College and runner-up College of the Sequoias advanced to the playoffs.
Fresno beat San Jose City College two games to none to advance to this weekend’s super regional against Shasta College. Sequoias was eliminated by Cabrillo College.
Taft vs Reedley College (DH)
L 4-5, L 5-15
by Yarelli Delgado
April 9, 2013
The Cougars faced the Tigers at home for a double-header on Tuesday. Jessica Neher started on the mound for the Cougars in game one. Neher pitched for eight innings and struck out 5. The Cougars got on the scoreboard first with a two-run, homerun by freshman, Kelina Nakia. Nakai scored herself and Stephanie Keith, setting the score 2-0 at the end of the first. In the second inning the Tigers scored a run bringing the score to 2-1, and again in the seventh, tying the score 2-2, bringing the game to a tie-breaker. The Tigers scored three runs in eighth inning taking the Cougars back with the score of 2-5. The Cougars scored two runs in the eighth, falling short a run, the game ended with a score of 4-5.
Freshman Cheyenne Emerson began the second game for the Cougars on the mound. Emerson was relieved by Neher in the sixth inning. The Tigers would be the first to score in the first inning, and at the end of the first the score was 0-2. During the second inning the Tigers scored another two runs but the Cougars answered back, bringing the score 2-4. The Cougars did not score again until the fifth inning. Nakai hit her second homerun of the double-header, this time bringing Brooklyn Amador to score. By the end of the fifth inning the score was 5-6. The Cougars could not get it done, losing with a final score of 5-15.
Taft vs Porterville College
W 3-2
by Yarelli Delgado
April 4, 2013
Porterville College traveled to Taft on Thursday to take on the Cougars. Freshman Cheyenne Emerson started on the mound to face the Pirates. She had five strikeouts and 89 pitches. The Cougars scored first in the third inning and again in the fourth and fifth inning. Porterville did not score until the sixth inning, getting two runs, nearly catching up but fell short by one run. The final score was 3-2, a win for the Cougars.
Taft @ Merced College (DH)
W 2-0, L 3-4
by Yarelli Delgado
March 26, 2013
The Taft College Cougars traveled to Merced on Tuesday for a double-header. In game 1, sophomore Jessica Neher took the mound to pitch the entire game. Neher pulled 6 strike-outs and only allowed five hits. Brooklyn Amador hit a double RBI during the third bringing in Tuiai Elisara,making the score 1-0. The Cougars scored again in the fifth inning. Peyton Buen hit a triple. Chelsea Eli-Kido scored Buen on a base hit. Merced did not score. Cougars take the win 2-0.
Sophomore Peyton Buen started on the mound for game two and pitched for 3 innings. In the fourth inning Neher relieved Buen, pitching the rest of the game. Merced started off strong, scoring 3 runs against the Cougars in the first. At the end of the first inning the score was 3-1. The Cougars scored one run in the first. In the second inning, Buen hit a double RBI bringing in Ashley McKeown to score. Later in the fifth inning Amador scored Eli-Kido with a double, tying the score 3-3. In the seventh inning, Merced scored a run getting the win with a score of 4-3.
Taft vs West Valley College (DH)
W 9-7, L 6-12
by Yarelli Delgado
March 24, 2013
The Cougars traveled to Saratoga to face the West Valley College Vikings. Returning sophomore Jessica Neher pitched the entire game with six strike-outs in game 1 of the double header. West Valley was the first to score in the first inning with one run. They scored again in the fourth, with the score 2-0. In the fifth inning the Cougars hit back to back homeruns. Kelina Nakai brought in Stephanie Keith and Chelsea Eli-Kido, while Venise Elisara followed with a homerun. Later in the fifth inning two more runs came in for the Cougars bringing the score 6-2. By the end of the seventh inning the Vikings and the Cougars were tied at 7-7, taking the game into extra-innings. During the eighth inning Brooklyn Amador hit a two run homerun getting the win. The Cougars beat the Vikings 9-7.
Freshman, Cheyenne Emerson started off game two on the mound for the Cougars. During the Cougars first at bats, they scored two runs. Later in the first inning the Vikings answered back tying the score 2-2. Emerson threw two complete innings before being relieved by Neher. By the end of the sixth inning the score was 6-12, with the Vikings ahead The Cougars didn’t add any help losing to the Vikings, 6-12.
Taft vs College of the Sequoias (DH)
W 3-2, W 6-3
by Yarelli Delgado
March 13, 2013
The Cougars traveled to the College of the Sequoias focused and ready to go. The Cougars fought hard for this win, playing for eleven innings against the Giants. The starting pitcher for the first game was returning sophomore Jessica Neher who pitched the entire game and only gave up nine hits. Throughout the game, the score was a continuous 0-0. That is until the seventh inning, when the Cougars would be the first to get a run on the board. Stephanie Keith’s hit to left field allowed Peyton Buen to tag up and score the run. The Giants scored the same inning tying the score 1-1, bringing the game to a national tiebreaker and into extra innings. The Cougars again scored in the tenth inning bringing the score 2-1, but the Giants, answered back tying the score 2-2. The Cougars scored again in the eleventh inning bringing the score 3-2. The Giants were up to bat and the Cougars knew they had to play solid defense to hold them off and end the game. The Cougars defense did their job and got two solid outs. Jessica Neher, all on her own, would get the third out striking out the last batter and ending the game in a storybook fashion. The first game was over with the score of 3-2.
The Cougars were ready to go for round two. Cheyenne Emerson got the start on the mound for game two. Emerson pitched for three innings allowing five hits. Sophomore Jessica Neher relieved Emerson during the fourth inning, pitching the rest of the game allowing three hits. The Cougars were ready to get things moving right away. Leadoff hitter Chelsea Eli-Kido got on base, and Stephanie Keith would bring her in to score the Cougars first run in the first inning. The Giants also scored in the first inning tying the score 1-1. The Cougars scored again in the third inning when Brooklyn Amador drove in Chelsea Eli-Kido with an RBI double. Ashley Mckeown drove Keith in to score and Emerson would drive in Amador to score. The score at the end of the third inning was now 4-2. The Cougars scored again in the fourth and seventh inning. Both teams battled throughout the entire game, not letting up on either side. The final score was 6-3 with another victory for the Cougars.
Taft vs Porterville College (DH)
W 10-4, W 23-5
by Yarelli Delgado
March 5, 2013
The Cougars went to Porterville College today for double header action. The Cougars were down 2-0 until the seventh inning, when things moving in the right direction. Chelsea Eli-Kido got the seventh inning started for the Cougars. Eli-Kido and Stephanie Keith would both score. Venise Elisara hit a homerun with two people on base in the seventh inning bringing in Brooklyn Amador and Kelina Nakai. Every batter in the Cougars line-up drove in at least one RBI during the 7th. The final score was10-4 Cougars.
The Cougars would start the second game right away scoring ten runs against the Pirates. During the second inning, freshman Tuiai Elisara would hit a grand slam. The Cougars would score another four runs bringing the score 18-0 at the end of the second inning. The game ended in the fifth inning due to the run-rule. The final score was 23-5.
Taft vs Cabrillo College (DH)
L 3-11, W 5-7
by Yarelli Delgado
February 24, 2013
The Cougars traveled to face Cabrillo College in a double-header on Saturday. Freshman Cheyenne Emerson made her way to the mound to start the first game. Emerson pitched for five innings and threw 101 pitches. Returning sophomore Peyton Buen, would come in to relieve Emerson during the sixth inning. The Cougars would score two runs in the third inning .Venise Elisara would hit a homerun in the sixth inning, but it wasn’t enough. The Cougars would end the game in a loss, with the final score of 3-11.
Sophomore Jessica Neher would start the second game and would pitch the entire game. Neher got seven strikeouts, and threw 93 pitches. Cabrillo would be the first to get on the board, scoring three runs in the first inning. Stephanie Keith would get the momentum going for the Cougars, hitting a homerun during the fourth inning bringing in Chelsea Eli-Kido with her. The Cougars would score two more runs in the fourth to tie the score 4-4. Keith would drive in the fifth run during the fifth inning. The Cougars would fall short 5-7.
Taft vs Allan Hancock College (DH)
L 2-3, W 5-4
by Yarelli Delgado
February 21, 2013
Jessica Neher started off the first game of the double header against Allan Hancock College and would pitch the entire first game. Neher did well, she had 4 strike outs and pitched a total of 82 pitches 51 of those being strikes. Allan Hancock would be the first to get on the score board, scoring their first run in the first inning. They would not score again until the sixth inning where they scored another two runs for a total of three. Jill Del Villar would receive an RBI bringing in Ashley McKeown during the second inning bringing the score to 1-1. Freshman Kelina Nakai would score in the fourth inning on Del Villar’s second RBI of the game. The Cougars would lose the first game 2-3.
Venise Elisara would be the first to get the Cougars on the score board in the 2nd game of the double header, with a solo homerun during the second inning bringing the score 1-1. Brooklyn Amador would hit a solo homerun during the third inning, getting the momentum going in the Cougars favor. Nakia and McKeown both would score in the same inning bringing the score 4- 1. Amador received an RBI bringing in Jessica Neher during the fourth inning and bringing the score 5-1. Allan Hancock would end up scoring three more runs during the fifth inning. The Cougars would hold Allan Hancock off and win the second game 5-4.
Taft vs Gavilan College
W 5-4
by Yarelli Delgado
February 19, 2013
On a chilly afternoon in Porterville, the Cougars took on Gavilan College. In the third inning, the cougars scored a run on a base hit bringing the score 1-0. The cougars held on to the score until the 6th inning when Gavilan scored 4 runs. The Cougars were prepared to make a comeback and tied the game 4-4 in the 7th inning. The Cougars won the game on a walk-off homerun by Ashly McKeown. The final score 5-4, Cougar win.
Taft vs Hartnell College (DH)
L 3-11, 4-6
by Yarelli Delgado
February 18, 2013
The first game of the double header was a rough one for the Cougars. Freshman Cheyenne Emerson pitched for five innings, and sophomore Peyton Buen finished the game. The Cougars fell short scoring two in the 6th, for a total of 3, losing by a final score of 3-11.
The second game would be a much closer one, though the cougars would fall short again. With the final score 4-6.
Taft vs San Joaquin Delta College
L 1-4
by Yarelli Delgado
February 16, 2013
Freshman Cheyenne Emerson would start the game against Delta College and would pitch for three innings allowing four hits and two strike outs. Sophomore Jessica Neher would relieve Emerson during the third inning and would continue pitching the remainder of the game. Neher would drive in the only run scored by the Cougars bringing Venise Elisara home. Tuiai Elisara and Ashley McKeown would go two for three against Delta.
The Cougars lost 1-4.
Taft vs Cuesta College
L 1-2
by Yarelli Delgado
February 15, 2013
On a warm afternoon after the Cougars went head to head with Santiago Canyon College, the Cougars played against Cuesta College. Venise Elisara would get the Cougars on the scoreboard with a homerun during the second inning with one out. The momentum would carry on to Ashley McKeown who went up to bat next and she would hit a single. The Cougars would leave McKeown on second base with the score 1-1. Peyton Buen would get to third base during the third inning but would not score. The Cougars got 6 hits throughout the game by McKeown (2 for3), Eli-Kido, V. Elisara (2 for 3), and Buen. The Cougars would fall short again with the final score of 1-2.
Taft vs Santiago Canyon College
L 3-4
by Yarelli Delgado
February 15, 2013
The Cougars fell short against Santiago Canyon College by one run. Brooklyn Amador, Kelina Nakai and Venise Elisara would all get hits in the 3rd inning bringing in Stephanie Keith and Chelsea Eli-Kido, making the score 2-3 with Santiago on top. The Cougars would score one more run in the seventh inning with bases loaded. The Cougars lost 3-4.
Taft vs Bakersfield College
W 7-6
by Yarelli Delgado
February 12, 2013
On the mound to start the home game against Bakersfield College, was sophomore Jessica Neher. Neher pitched until the fourth inning when Cheyenne Emerson came in and pitched the rest of the game. It was a constant battle between both teams, with the Cougars coming out on top with the 7-6 win.
Taft vs Modesto Jr. College & San Jose City
W 5-0 & L 4-12
by Yarelli Delgado
February 9, 2013
This past weekend, the Lady Cougars faced Modesto Jr. College and San Jose City College at San Jose. Cheyenne Emerson got the start at the mound and helped the Lady Cougars get the win 5-0 against Modesto. Next up was returning sophomore Jessica Neher facing San Jose City College. The Cougars would take a tough loss getting run-ruled during the 6th inning. The final score was 12-4.
Taft vs San Joaquin Delta College (DH)
W 3-1, 6-2
by Yarelli Delgado
February 6, 2013
Returning sophomore Jessica Neher was sent to the mound for the first game of the doubleheader against Delta College. Neher had two strike outs and helped the lady cougars get the win. The final score of the game was 3-1. Neher also went 3 for 3 with her at bats.
Freshman Cheyenne Emerson was sent to the mound for the second game of the doubleheader. Ashley McKeown hit an in the park homerun in the 2nd inning. Kelina Nakai hit a big homerun in the 5th inning. Emerson struck out two, helping the cougars get the third win of the season with final score of 6-2. The lady cougars will face San Jose and Modesto College at San Jose on Saturday.
Taft vs College of the Siskiyous
W 2-1
by Yarelli Delgado
January 29, 2013
The lady cougars opened pre-season play with a win against College of the Siskiyous, which was played at College of the Sequoias in Visalia on Saturday. Sent to the mound on a cloudy day was returning sophomore, Jessica Neher who allowed 6 hits and struck out 10. During the bottom of the fourth inning, right fielder Venise Elisara hit a big homerun putting the Cougars head to head with Siskiyous 1-1. During the same inning 1st baseman Peyton Buen got a hit bringing Jessica Neher home putting the cougars on top 2-1. The Cougars will take on Delta College at home, on Saturday.
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