The newest sources of encouragement for Chanhassen’s softball team reside in an aquarium.

 

“This weekend we bought pet fish as a source of inspiration,” junior Marybeth Olson said after she hit a home run and drove in two runs as the Storm breezed past Metro West Conference rival Benilde-St. Margaret’s 12-0 on Tuesday afternoon. 

 

Tormenta (Spanish for Storm) and Deodorant (origin of name undisclosed) are the monikers of the aquatic duo that has apparently been a major source of chemistry for the team, and helped Chanhassen to a scorching 3-0 start to the season. 

 

“They came to play,” Storm coach Joe Coenen said of his players after the win. “So far, they’ve come to play every ballgame.”

 

Have they ever.

 

Chanhassen has not allowed a run in three games to begin the season, nor has the team played a full seven innings, outscoring opponents 41-0 in three mercy rule-shortened outings. 

 

Coenen says that the streak of 15 consecutive shutout innings is acknowledged by his team, but remains a nonexistent topic of conversation. 

 

“That’s not something we’ve really talked about,” Coenen said. “What we talk about is ‘play every pitch,’ and that’s what we’re trying to do this year.”

 

Winning pitcher Maddie Schwartz struck out 10 and gave up just one hit in the win, and says that confidence in a quality defense behind her is more responsible than anything for the dominant three-game stretch

 

“I just try not to think about who’s on base,” Schwartz said, referring to second and third inning instances when the Red Knights managed to get a runner into scoring position. 

 

“I know that if (opponents) do hit it, I have a really good defense behind me," Schwartz said.

 

The Storm lost just one player from last year’s group that finished sixth at the Class 3A state tournament, and the amount of talent up and down the roster is not lost on Coenen. 

 

“We’ve got some great, talented ballplayers, and sometimes you can get ahead of yourself,” Coenen said, adding that keeping it loose in practice helps keep that talent in check. 

 

“We do some goofy things at practice,” Coenen laughed. “I get away with it, I think, because they are so talented.”

 

Unorthodox practice antics and newly beloved sea creatures aside, Coenen said that the heart of the team’s obvious chemistry is the utter lack of ego in the lineup. 

 

“I don’t have a single girl on this club right now that is a ‘me’ player,” Coenen said. “They’re all a ‘we’ player, and that’s what it’s been about.”

Sophomore pitcher Maddie Schwartz threw a one-hit shutout while striking out 10 as Chanhassen cruised past Benilde-St. Margaret’s 12-0 in five innings on the road Tuesday afternoon in Metro West Conference play.

 

Junior Taylor Manno went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs to lead the Storm (3-0), and junior Marybeth Olson hit a home run and finished with two RBI.

 

Senior outfielder Abby Wilgers was the lone bright spot for the Red Knights (5-1), walking twice and throwing out a runner at home plate from centerfield.