The Girls Varsity Softball team recently played Alhambra in a game on Feb. 22. The game lasted approximately two hours, and it took place at home on the softball field at Arcadia High School. The score ended as 10-0 with the Apaches as the victors, while they had zero outs and Alhambra ended with one. Alhambra and Arcadia both hit several home runs during the windy game.

One of the members of the Varsity team, freshman Isabella Cordiero, shared her team’s previous experience with Alhambra. “We did play Alhambra before in a scrimmage. We were able to beat them,” she said, and added that playing Alhambra earlier gave the team “a better understanding of the team and how [they] played.” She also believed that her team had improved since their last match with Alhambra, and also that they “were able to beat them by more since [they] had seen how they played previously.”

Freshman Isabella Martinez agreed, and that it “wasn’t as nerve wracking as other games because [they] had played Alhambra in a scrimmage the week before and won 11-1, so it wasn’t really scary because [she] knew what the pitcher was going to be throwing.”

Because the girls on the team were already familiar with Alhambra’s players, it was easier to go up against them the second time around. Cordiero and Martinez also noted that because the team had already seen the lineup, she was already aware of their playing style.

Martinez also talked about her experience with the team’s past games. “When it comes to these bigger teams like Crescenta Valley or Burroughs, I can’t get nervous at the plate or worry… I know how good I can do up to bat, but sometimes I just get in my head and try to do too much. I need to improve on my mental parts of the game, too.”

As a personal goal, Cordiero wants to improve her baserunning in order to score more points for the team. “I think my biggest challenge was playing left field. I am newer to the position so it’s more challenging for me to play,” Cordiero stated. She also shared that the most difficult obstacle she believed that they encountered as a team during the game was hitting.

“We did end up getting some great hits but we started off a little slow; eventually it picked up and everyone started hitting,” she recalled. Some of these challenges she and the team met in the game are things that she is looking to improve on. However, Cordiero feels like she’s learned something new from playing.

“I gained more experience,” she continued, “I can now play better since I’ve played through a few different situations and now know what to do in [those] situations.”

Martinez also shared her experiences during the game. “I think I did pretty well at the plate, and I think I did well with cheering on my teammates and in the outfield,” she said. Though, she also mentioned that she wanted to improve her batting, stating that she’s “in the spot of the lineup where [she] can’t be making so many mistakes.”

“My biggest challenge was getting up to the plate in a big situation when I needed to get a hit… I felt I needed to do good,” Martinez said.

Overall, Martinez stated, “I thought this game was really good! I think my team really came out ready to win!” Cordiero also recounted the game as a good experience. “The team played well overall, we had some good hitting and our defense and pitching were really good… I am excited to play with Varsity and I can’t wait to improve. All of the girls on the team are so nice and I am glad I get to play with them.”

Photo courtesy of SOFTBALLAPACHE on Twitter