Starting off the season with a two game losing streak and an upcoming game on Wednesday, head coach Kodee Murray finds that this season has, “a lot of freshmen in key positions.”
With freshman in positions that are not typically awarded to them, this year will have challenges up ahead, but there is no doubt, they can overcome them.
Murray said “they are very talented freshmen and trying to learn how to play at this level. And I think their outlook for this season is really good, I think that wer’e going to start a little slow, but we’ll get better as we go”.
Dennis Drulias, pitching coach, finds that this season the team is “struggling, we’ve got a lot to learn, and add some improvement”.
Drulias later goes on to comment on some problems that the players are currently facing, “we’ve had some illness and injuries to our pitchers that are really hurting us.”
In response to how the last season played out, “Last year we did really well, we came in second in our conference and went to play offs,” Murray said; and with college sports being quite competitive, this is no mere feat.
Even though last season wasn’t bad according to Haley Whitney 1st base (infield / outfield) she feels that it should have gone differently. “I think the last season we (players) could have done a lot better than we did, I don’t think we played (as a team) , but all in all, I think we did ok, I think we could’ve gone a lot farther than we did.”
As far as practicing goes, “In this sport you have to focus on everything. You have to be able to field, hit, base and run.
“If you can do those four things you can be pretty successful,” Murray said.
Condensing the sport, into four main points, instead of a giant list of what needs to be worked on, is a good strategy, but consistency is also key.
Practice wise, the players spend 10 hours each week practicing from batting, being on the field, and more.
Not counting the time that they are in games playing.
“Practices, are practices. We make mistakes, but that’s the time to make them. We need to learn from them, and just keep working harder,” Whitney said.
Jamie Ramirez, pitcher, finds that “practice is tough, but we get through it.”
“The practices go good, the girls work hard,” Drulias said.
With a key member of the team facing an illness problem, the issue will have an impact on the whole team and with a game on Feb. 5, the pressure is on. With the weather taking a turn for the worse, this proves to be a challenge.
“Between a virus that has been going around and one player that we really count on, is having some leg problems,
“We’re hoping to rest her enough to get her to heal up, and we should be in pretty good shape”, said Drulias.
Typically when starting a season, against a team like Cypress it can be rough and from Drulias’ standpoint, there is no doubt.
“We’ve played some tough teams already in the first week and we’ve got a few more tough games and then once league hits, we have a few tough teams in league too. So it could be a tough season if we don’t get healed up and well,” Drulias said.
As for the Falcons up coming game, it will be their fourth, but for Cypress College, it’s their first of the Spring season.
“We haven’t seen them but they are usually one of the tougher teams in the state, so it could be a rough game,” Drulias said.
“They’re going to be intense games, but I think we can do it. I think we can fight through it.” Ramirez said.
With a handful of games already behind the team and with Cypress College just about to start its season, this could be a turning point for the Falcons.
There is no doubt it will be a challenge, as they are faced with a two game loosing streak; there’s no way to tell who will come out on top.
All will be decided at gametime.
