Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – South Fork’s Sophia Studebaker leaps toward first base during a game with St. Bernard’s last spring. The Cubs open the 2019 season at the Anderson tournament this weekend.

The South Fork Cubs will get in some valuable playing time this weekend, as they get the softball season under way at the Anderson tournament.

And after weeks of being forced to practice mostly indoors, a guaranteed four games at least over the next two days will be just what the South Fork girls need.

This year’s team features a lot of new faces on a roster of 16, and head coach Lisa Todd admits she’s still not certain what she’s got with some of the players until she sees them in game situations, or even practicing outdoors on a regular basis.

She will. however, finally get that opportunity this weekend.

“I just want to see how they’re all going to fit together and work together as a team,” the head coach said.

South Fork pitcher Jasmine Todd

The Cubs have at least two things in their favor heading into the new season.

One, they have a lot of depth and experience in the pitcher’s circle, and two, they have a group of four key seniors who each can play almost any position, giving their coaches plenty of versatility and options.

“They’re all strong leaders, good players and great athletes,” Todd said of the four seniors, Regina Saloman, Jasmine Todd, Kylie Savio and Anjo Girard.

“And it’s a pretty universal group that can play infield, outfield and pretty much anywhere. And they can hit.”

South Fork’s Regina Saloman

Pitching depth

Girard and Jasmine Todd will see time pitching, as will sophomore standout Joslin Todd, who came back from a season-long wrist injury late last year to help the Cubs to a Division-VI North Coast Section championship.

Jasmine Todd took over most of the pitching duties in Joslin’s absence in 2018, and that experience should make her a far stronger pitcher in 2019.

Add in sophomore transfer Jade Johns, who joins the Cubs from Round Valley, and the Cubs have more pitching than they have had in some time.

“It’s really nice,” Lisa Todd said of the pitching depth. “We haven’t had that in a long time.”

It’s also a group that has been setting the tone in the preseason.

South Fork’s Kylie Savio

“They work hard,” the head coach said. “And they’re willing to work on anything they need to. And they back each other up.”

The new players on the roster bring some experience too.

“We’ve got a good group that came in,” Lisa Todd said. “And most of them have been playing rec ball for a long time.”

As for the league this year, the Cubs head coach is expecting a battle.

“Hoopa looks good, and St. Bernard’s looks like they’re going to be good,” she said. “I haven’t seen Ferndale, but I think it’s going to be pretty competitive through the league.”

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Ray Hamill writes at humboldtsports.com, where you can read lots more about sports in Humboldt County.