Rincon/University softball coach Dean Misenhimer had seen Melissa Mange in action playing club ball prior to her becoming a Ranger last season.
The fourth-year skipper knew she would make an immediate impact.
“I knew it was coming, but I didn’t know it would be as big as it was,” Misenhimer said. “I knew she was a great hitter coming in. She’s aggressive, loves to hit and brings leadership.”
The Star stopped by Rincon’s practice earlier this week to learn more about Mange, a sophomore. Here are three things to know about one of the state’s top sluggers:
Power Ranger
Mange was one of the top hitters in the Tucson area as a freshman.
She had a .571 batting average and mashed 35 extra-base hits, including a school-record 11 home runs.
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The power hitter led the Rangers with 44 RBIs and scored 38 runs. She credits her success to her approach at the plate.
“I don’t swing at the first pitch and sometimes when I get two strikes on me, I feel like I have to swing and I end up getting a good hit,” said Mange, who will play both catcher and shortstop this season. “I look for (the pitch) outside and 2-1 is the perfect count.
“Basically, a fastball, a meaty pitch — I’m looking to go up the middle or to pull it.”
Dependable engine
Rincon’s softball team finished with just two wins two years ago, when Mange was in eighth grade. But last season, Mange helped power the Rangers to an 18-12 record as they just missed out on qualifying for the Division II state tournament.
“She fit in right away and her at-bats were extremely good right away,” Misenhimer said. “She gets put in a good situation where there are a lot of base runners on for her.”
Mange sports a big Louisville’s Slugger LXT bat, but Misenhimer says her skills behind the plate as a catcher has made an even bigger impact.
“She calls a good game, but she does really well with her pitchers,” Misenhimer said.
“She does a really good job of calming them down and finding them strikes that might not be strikes.”
Still learning
Prior to last year, Rincon’s last winning season came in 2002, when it won the Class 4A state championship.
Despite the success, Mange said she learned more through the losses and missing out on the postseason. Getting there is the expectation this year.
“I expect us to work together more, to stay ahead and not play down to other team’s level to make it to playoffs,” said Mange, who has verbally committed to play catcher at UTEP.
“(We’ll do that by) working harder, focusing on the game and not focusing on anything off the field.”
Contact reporter Chuck Constantino at cconstantino@tucson.com or 954-0859. On Twitter: @CConstan3 or @azprepstar
