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Women's softball team gathers for nationals By GREG STILES They're not quite globe-trotters, but they spend a lot of time on the road during softball season. Some of them are moms, they've got jobs and they're much too busy to practice. Yet, the women of the DeCarlow Homes Class C Amateur Softball Association team prove themselves good enough to win again and again. DeCarlow Homes retained its state championship last month in Salem, earning a bid to the national tournament in Panama City, Fla. They leave Wednesday for the tournament the following weekend. It's the fourth time since the women got together a decade ago that they've advanced to nationals. They also earned a spot last summer, but passed on a trip to Grand Forks, N.D. "We're teachers, coaches, clinical products specialists, artists, business owners and housewives," says outfielder Marsi Godfrey, who, like many of the women, was a fastpitch standout in high school. "We're a dozen women with potentially high-stress jobs." The squad was first sponsored by Omar's restaurant and then took on the name Jeremiah's before DeCarlow Homes signed on. In the early 1990s, the team twice qualified for national tournaments held in Eugene, placing 13th in a field of 48 one year and 13th out of 64 the next year. In 1995, the team ventured to Denver for nationals and waited out three days of snow before taking the field. "Back in February, we talked about getting vacation time so we could go to Florida," says catcher Tonia Roberts. Because the players have spread throughout Southern Oregon and beyond as the years have passed, practices are rare and the team limits itself to one tournament a month. "No matter where our lives have taken us, or if we no longer live here," says Godfrey, "we have still managed to meet at tournaments. We play on pure natural talent and still win." Winning as in 32 out of 38 games this year. The team has won tournaments in Brookings, Ashland, Bend, took fourth in Portland and fifth in Lake Tahoe, Nev. At state, DeCarlow dropped its opening game then won five straight in two days. It beat the Diamond Girls of Beaverton in the final. Pitcher Leslie Lehr, at 37, is the senior statesman of the club. She was the team's local nemesis before joining forces four years ago. "She can still play a mean shortstop, but we need her at pitcher," says Roberts. Utility player Anna Chancellor, at 25, is the youngest member of the squad. "We call her Baby," says Roberts. Godfrey is the leadoff hitter and plays left-center field (the team uses 10 players, including four outfielders), Lehr bats second followed by right-center fielder Janelle Hill, a transplant from Eastern Oregon. Terri Walker, who still holds the career and single-season home run marks for North Medford (it was Medford when she graduated in 1982), is the clean-up hitter and plays left field. Lorna Surran, who lives in Portland, consistently hits over .700 in tournaments and plays shortstop. Candace Selden plays third base, Lee Fliegel is at second base, Lisa Richardson is at first base, Davis -- whose husband Kelly coaches the team -- bats next, followed by right fielder Cheryl Fox. "No matter how hot the weather," Godfrey says, "we remain in our all-black uniforms. That's our signature. We once won a tournament in Redding (Calif.) in 110 degrees." (To make a donation to help cover the team's expenses in Florida, an account has been set up for the DeCarlow Homes softball team at U.S. Bank. For information call Tonia Davis at 488-1074 or Marsi Godfrey at 732-1680.) Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.