Yuba College’s softball team has been trying to keep its head up this season with a record of 16 wins, 22 losses and one tie. The team has undergone various bumps in the road, including injuries and the unfortunate loss of two players. However, the girls are hoping for the best.
Coach Stephanie Reynolds said, “Physically, we have been plagued with injuries. It has been a difficult season for us to be at the top of our game as we have struggled with injuries such as MCL strains, a rotator cuff tare, sprained fingers, pulled or strained muscles, along with illnesses such as kidney stones, food poisoning and the flu.”
Reynolds added, “Putting the best nine players on the field in any given day has a new meaning.”
The real challenge for Yuba’s team will be their game against Solano College on April 19. In the race for conference title, Yuba is in third with a 11 wins and 5 losses, while Solano is currently in first with a conference record of 13 and 3.
If the girls beat Solano, they will be tied with Solano in conference, and they will still have a shot at the playoffs. It is the team’s last chance to make a comeback for the season, although the reality is that the predictability of the team has been anything but consistent.
“The season has been like a roller coaster,” Reynolds said. “We have been good on defense, and we have been bad. We have been great at the plate, and then we have been terrible. In order to go to the playoffs, we need to be at our best offensively and defensively.”
Two of the team’s stronger pitchers, Stephanie Chapman, and Amy Daniels (both current sophomores), will be throwing for the Solano game, which will hopefully bring strength to the field by keeping their defense in tact.
Both the players and the coach of Yuba’s softball team are anxious about their upcoming game with Solano College, but they remain optimistic and motivated to take home a win.
Coach Reynolds said, “If we can tap into our talent and leave it on that field, we will be on our way to the playoffs.” The team is aware of the overbearing obstacle they face during their game with Solano, but according to Reynolds, “We control our own destiny.”
If Yuba’s softball team sweeps Solano at home next Thursday, they will clinch a playoff birth as they take the first two teams of each of the northern conferences. However, according to Reynolds, the girls will need to be prepared both mentally and physically “to get the job done.”
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