Tatum Spangler, Coronado roll past Silverado

Coronado’s softball team struggled over the weekend, going 1-4 in the Torrance (California) National Invitational.

The Cougars had no such struggles Monday.

Tatum Spangler went 3-for-4 with a homer and five RBIs and picked up the victory as Coronado rolled to a 13-2 road win over Silverado.

“We purposely play a tough schedule, and we face some really tough teams and pitchers,” Coronado coach Melissa Krueger said. “And that’s to prepare us for this. I do that schedule intentionally so that the girls can come out here and have confidence and know that, ‘Hey, if I can take good cuts against some of these top California teams, then I can hit anyone in town.’”

Spangler wasted little time putting Coronado (6-6, 2-0 Sunrise League) in control, as she smacked the second pitch of the game over the fence in right-center field. The Cougars added four unearned runs in the inning to take control.

“Tatum’s the real deal,” Krueger said. “She’s having a great start so far. She’s doing well on the mound. She gets up there, she takes her cuts. She’s a true captain — a true leader of this team.”

Ashley Ward, the team’s No. 2 hitter, led off the second by lining a homer to dead center.

“I’ve got (Spangler) and Ashley batting one-two, and it’s quite the one-two punch,” Krueger said. “We don’t fool too many people in town thinking they’re going to get up there and slap. But it was fun to watch some of the out-of-state teams think both of them were slappers until they took their first cuts.”

Aleah Baldonado went 3-for-4 with three runs, and Sydney Smith was 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI for Coronado.

Spangler allowed four hits and struck out eight.

Meleah Rivera was 1-for-1 with an RBI double for Silverado (7-3, 2-1)

Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587. Follow @DamonSeiters on Twitter.