STORY AND PHOTO BY JONATHAN SINTORA, STAFF WRITER
Cypress Softball suffered their first conference loss against Fullerton College last Tuesday. Following a successful pre-season, the Chargers are eager to get back into the win column following their 5-1 loss to Fullerton.
Head Coach Brad Pickler addressed Tuesday’s loss ensuring that the team’s performance was simply a hiccup in an otherwise strong start to the season. Pickler said, “We’ve been playing pretty solid up until yesterday. We just had one bad inning.”
For Pickler, the loss did not change the team’s approach as they continue to work towards defending their state title. Pickler said, “Every day we are working on hitting, fielding, and bunting. Our pitchers are working on their stuff.”
Early into conference play, pitching and offense have been a crucial aspect of the team’s success.
California Community College Athletic Association “Pitcher of the Week” Kaitlyn Reynolds described her recent success coming off a perfect game against Antelope Valley. Reynolds said, “I didn’t realize I was pitching a perfect game until the fourth inning. I was trusting in our defense. Trusting in our hitters to get the job done.”
Reynolds expressed the importance of having a strong offense behind her during the last few games. Reynolds said, “It definitely makes me feel more relaxed when I’m pitching because I know my teammates will pick me up offensively.”
After taking their first conference loss against Fullerton College, Sophomore Makayla Motis explained how the team is looking forward to a rematch against Fullerton. As the team prepared for their next set of games, Motis said, “We’ve been working on different drills, especially with hitting and being able to adjust to the different speeds of the pitchers.”
Despite their loss against Fullerton, the Chargers’ recent success has put them atop the 3CFCA South Rankings. For Pickler, Chargers Softball in 2024 is about continuing where they left off last year as state champions. Pickler said, “We play a good brand of softball. We’re hitting the ball and doing what we need to do. We’re defending champs and we have a chance to do it again this year.”
