Slugger Holly Hall swings away during the team’s final 2026 home game versus the Viewpoint Gems. Umpire Jerry Thigpen and the Gems’ catcher look on.
Larry Wolfe
Our Lady Sluggers senior softball team completed a successful season with a record of 16 wins, 10 losses and two ties. The ladies compete in the 10-team Valley of the Sun League which includes teams from throughout the southeast valley.
Mandi Marchek led the team with a .804 average. Four of her teammates had averages over .600: Sue Rodke (.696), Grace Alvarado (.693), Stephanie Von Pein (.690) and Holly Hall (.663). Other category leaders were Holly Hall with 33 singles, Mandi Marchek with 11 doubles, Grace Alvarado and Mandi with seven triples each and Stephanie Von Pein with two homers. Grace and Mandi also hit home runs with Mandi’s being the first-ever “over the fence” bomb for a Lady Slugger, traveling over 275 feet!
The team members want to thank their first-ever team sponsor, Serene Solutions, for their new uniforms. Additional thanks go out to the many other supporters of their program including manager: Terry Finley, coach: Scott Steinmann, statistician and scoreboard operator: Lynn Tanner, umpire coordinator: Dennis LePore and umpires: Tom Erpelding, Garnet Hammer, Randy Neumann, and Jerry Thigpen, groundcrew: Gary Hillabolt and Billy Jacobson and purchasing agent: Bob Molter. And last, but not least, the many fans who came to the games to cheer on the team!
Now it’s “wait till next year,” or at least November. Practices for the 2027 season will begin in November with the regular season running from January through March next year. If you’re interested in joining in the fun, see the Ladies Page on our website, www.sunlakessoftball.com for additional information.