GET TO KNOW THE SEVEN FRESHMAN WHO WERE WELCOMED ONTO THE VARSITY BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS
The first of seven years is upon us. It has been over seven years since both the baseball and softball programs welcomed more than two freshmen to their varsity team. A freshman making varsity on any sports team is considered to be a rare occurrence, but more than three freshmen making the team is something that has not occurred in either the baseball or softball programs at PRHS in over seven years. In the 2023 season, baseball did not have any freshmen on their team and softball had one freshman, now sophomore, who was added. In PRHS’s baseball history, five years ago was the most recent occurrence of a ninth grader being added to the varsity roster: shortstop Bryson Hoier and pitcher Carson Turnquist. After completing their baseball career at PRHS, Hoier is currently attending Saddleback Community College and playing Junior College baseball and Turnquist is currently attending Cal Poly SLO where he is playing D1 baseball. In the upcoming ‘24 season, baseball has welcomed three freshmen to the varsity roster: Emmett Dobroth, Casey Prieto, and Jaiden Soboleski. Softball has also welcomed three freshmen onto the varsity team: Natalie Davis, Izzy Murphy, and Maddie Paz, with one freshman who floats between both JV and Varsity squads, Preslie Lyles.
All seven freshmen strive to improve throughout the season and show the fans and student body that they will make a positive addition to the team. As of March 21, 2024, softball’s record stands at 6-4 and baseball’s at 5-7.
BASEBALL
Emmett Dobroth
Dobroth has been playing baseball for six years with his primary positions being catcher and pitcher. He is currently playing travel ball for Baseball Performance Academy (BPA) which is based out of Mission Viejo. Outside of mandatory practices, he has a batting cage at his house where he hits with himself or friends three to four times a week.
Casey Prieto
Prieto has been playing baseball for nine years with his primary positions being pitcher and catcher. He is also currently playing travel ball with the same team as Dobroth, BPA. Prieto works on weekends outside on mandatory school practices by working out six days a week and going to various pitching programs to improve.
Jaiden Soboleski
Soboleski has been playing baseball for 12 years with his primary positions being second base and shortstop. He currently plays for a travel ball team, Rio Vista Orioles, that is based out of Orange County. Outside of mandatory practices, he goes to the gym three times a week and has a batting cage at his house where he works two times a week.
Softball
Natalie Davis
Davis has been playing softball for seven years with her primary positions being second base and outfield. She currently plays on a travel ball team, Nitro Renegades, that is based out of Paso while also participating on the school team. She puts in extra work by going to her hitting coach at least once a week to improve her skills at the plate.
Izzy Murphy
Murphy has been playing softball for 10 years with her primary positions being catching and shortstop. She currently plays on a travel ball team, Velocity, that is based out of Atascadero, while also participating on the school team. Outside of mandatory practices, she works with her hitting coach, two times a week to improve her skills.
Maddie Paz
Paz has been playing softball for nine years with her primary positions being third and first base. She has played four travel ball in the past, but is not currently on a travel team. She, like Murphy, works with a hitting coach, Henry Valeu, up to two times a week to improve her ball to bat contact. Paz is looking forward to a season when being with the upperclassmen to grow her skills.
Preslie Lyles
Lyles has been playing softball for eight years with her primary positions being pitcher and outfield. She currently plays on the same travel ball team as Murphy, Velocity. Lyles has no off days, working seven days a week, and strives to get as many reps in as possible, especially on weekends with pitching in the bullpen.