THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Cal Lutheran women's softball team has high hopes for this coming year as they return more than half of their team from the 2017 season.
With 12 returners, six of them being seniors, and only six incoming players, the Regals are looking forward to a long and successful season. They just missed the post-season tournament last year, where they tied with Chapman, but ultimately lost by one game and finished fifth in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC).
Head Coach Debby Day said the team is deeper than they have ever been this coming season.
"We have our entire infield returning and our center fielder and our catcher, so we were very strong defensively last year and I think that will continue," said Day. "We also have great pitching returning, Brittany Workman and Olivia Serrano – both sophomore pitchers, who had great freshmen years so we're looking for a lot from them."
Six seniors, Jacy Watanabe, Antonia Rapisardi, Mikaela Mayhew, Makenna Pellerin, Olivia Leyva, and Abbigael Howard will also be looked to, to help lead the team this year.
"It's really rewarding to have a group of six seniors who have been with me for four years" said Day. "To see how much they've matured – both on the field and off the field and I think that they all, along with our coaches, have very high expectations to play the very best softball they've ever played this year."
Rapisardi has high expectations for the team this year as she believes they can win conference and make it to the post season tournament.
"We have enough talent to do so, it just all boils down to how bad we want it as a team," said Rapisardi.
The sophomore class is made up of six student-athletes including Lexie Findley, Sierra Scali, Catherine Slabaugh, Kendall Marinesi, Workman and Serrano.
The incoming junior transfers include Mona Moreno (North Hollywood, Calif.) and Emily Hammond (Simi Valley, Calif.). The freshmen class includes Sienna Perez (Whittier, Calif.), Marissa Alfaia (Riverside, Calif.), Meghan Henry (Tujunga, Calif.) and Areli Moreno (Indio, Calif.). Even with the six newbies, the team as a whole is looking ready to take on the upcoming season.
Senior, Mayhew, said the team has been working really hard off the field and it is all finally showing and paying off on the diamond.
"Sometimes it is hard to incorporate new players into the team, but that has come really easy for us," said Mayhew. "I think we're really playing for each other and have each other's back on the field which is super important."
The Regals will take the field and kick off their season on Saturday, Feb. 3, as they take on the Pacific Lutheran Lutes in a double-header at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Hutton Field.
Roster: 2018 Roster
Schedule: 2018 Schedule
Softball Instagram: @regals_softball
Softball Twitter: @CLUSoftball
CLU Instagram: @clusports
CLU Twitter: @CLUSports
CLU Facebook: CLU Sports
Hashtags: #clusports #goregals #gokingsmen #ownthethrone #theSCIAC #ncaad3
Release by Nicki Tetherow, Assistant Sports Information Director
