Meet the newest inductees in the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame

The Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame will induct its 2023 class later this month, which includes some heavy hitters in the sport's history in Pueblo.

The Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame was started by longtime player and umpire Jack Krupka in 2008 to recognize former players, coaches, umpires, field directors, and sponsors for their achievements and contributions to the game in Pueblo.

The five newest members of the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame will be introduced during an on-field presentation on Friday, May 26, at 5:30 p.m. at Joe Santos Field at Ray Aguilera Park during the Annual Joe Santos Memorial Fastpitch Tournament.

The inductees will be featured during the annual Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, June 2, at 5:30 p.m. at the Red Barn Hall. Tickets for the banquet are available at Big Daddy’s Sunset Bowl or by contacting Krupka at 719-561-2994. Tickets are $30 and will not be available for purchase on the evening of the banquet. The deadline for ticket sales is Sunday, May 28.

Here's the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023. (All information on inductees provided by the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame.)

Victor 'Vic' Soto, player 

Victor Soto started pitching at age 10, following in the footsteps of his mother, who was a great pitcher and player for the Pueblo Army Depot.

Soto was a 1972 graduate of Pueblo County High School and started playing in the Men’s Fast Pitch League at age 17. He played with some of the best fast-pitch players from Pueblo, many of whom have also been inducted into the hall of fame.

Steve Pineda, umpire 

Pineda was born and raised in the Bessemer area and began playing softball in 1966 in the Pueblo City Youth League. He was a 1972 graduate of Central High School. At age 18, he played catcher with the Assumption Catholic Church team.

PSHOF 2012 inductee Marion Hernandez encouraged Pineda to learn to be an umpire and Pineda was later elected president by his fellow umpires for the local Umpire Association of Pueblo. He umpired in more than 52 postseason CHSSA high school girls fastpitch tournaments and received seven appointments to umpire the CHSSA high school girls fastpitch state finals.

Liz Chapman, field director 

Chapman grew up on the St. Charles Mesa and comes from a “ball-playing family.” She started playing 8-and-under softball in the county and eventually ended up playing women’s fastpitch at Bessemer Park for many years in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

She learned how to umpire and ended up becoming well known throughout Colorado, spending 30-plus years umpiring men’s fastpitch, co-ed slow pitch, girls fastpitch, and even tee ball in Pueblo, Canon City, Walsenburg, Denver, Colorado Springs, Fountain, Lamar, and La Junta.

Chapman is well known as the organizer of the St. Joseph’s Annual Coed Slow Pitch Tournament and was instrumental in getting the ball fields at St. Joseph’s Church renovated.

Audrey (Rendon) LaFountain, player 

Audrey Rendon LaFountain grew up around the game of softball and loved watching mens fastpitch at Bessemer Park. She started her career playing softball and then went on to play competitive travel ball for teams in Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and Denver.

LaFountain attended Pueblo Central High School from 2000 to 2003 and was a four-year letter winner in softball and track and field. Her high school career accolades include being named All-SCL four times, CHSAA/CCGS 4A All-State, Pueblo Central Coaches award two times and named the Pueblo Central Female Athlete of the Year in 2003.

LaFountain made the decision to sign with the University of Louisville in college, where she was a four-time all-conference first team selection and still owns many season and career records.

She was later drafted in the third round by the Rockford Thunder of the National Pro Fastpitch League in 2007 and played two seasons there. Her final season was with the Philadelphia Force.

After her college and pro careers, LaFountain continued to coach at the collegiate level, run camps, and conduct lessons for girls of all ages.

Angelus Chapel (McCulley Family), contributor 

In 1967, Charles and Petra Gonzalez de McCulley came to Pueblo to help take care of the Hispanic and African American communities in the area. Their plan was to be in Pueblo for five years and then go back to the Bay Area, but Pueblo ended up being their home.

In the early 1970s, the McCulleys began regularly sponsoring fast-pitch softball teams throughout the community. It was not uncommon to see Petra McCulley in attendance at weekly fastpitch games being played at Bessemer Park. In 2009, Angelus Chapel became one of the first corporate sponsors of the Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame and continues to sponsor the hall of fame to this day.

Tony Bobian Memorial 2023 Most Valuable High School Player

Mariah Gonzales, Pueblo East High School

This award is named in memory of Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame Committee Founding Member Tony Bobian, who died in 2021.

The 2023 selection was the highly recognized senior pitcher from Pueblo East High School, Mariah Gonzales. 

Christopher Abdelmalek is a sports reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain and can be reached at cabdelmalek@gannett.com or on Twitter: @chowebacca.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Softball Hall of Fame to add five new members for 2023 class