Kaycee Wilke had her back up against the wall from the beginning of Tuesday’s South Coast Conference softball game against the Long Beach City Vikings.
Wilke, one of two returning members of last season’s Warrior softball team, gave up seven runs on five hits in two innings and could not establish her rhythm against a Viking lineup where four of the nine hitters faced Wilke from the left side of the plate.
EC lost 8-0 as the game was called after five innings due to the mercy rule.
The Warriors (1-7 overall, 0-2 in conference) face Pasadena City College today at 3 p.m. in another conference matchup before this weekend’s tournament at Golden West.
“It got into my head a little bit,” Wilke said about the first inning. “I tried to pitch inside to their lefties, but they just turned on the pitches.”
Wilke began the game throwing three straight balls to Viking leadoff hitter Karina Martinez, but was able to get her to ground-out to second base. Wilke then got Alyssa Aguirre to fly out to center field for the second out of the inning, before running into trouble.
Valentina Nabayan grounded to Warrior shortstop Anjelica Cortez, but Cortez was unable to field the ball cleanly, allowing Nabayan to reach first base safely. Nabayan would advance to third base on two wild-pitches. Wilke walked the next batter, Monique Otaga, before giving up a three-run homerun to Vanessa Samudio.
“(Wilke) was doing a good job in the first inning, but the errors hurt us,” sophomore Katelynn Oro said. “We are behind her to make plays and that just didn’t happen.”
While Wilke was having trouble on the mound, Warrior hitters were having an equally frustrating time in the batter’s box. Viking starting pitcher Christine Gonzalez struck out five batters in three innings, allowing just two hits.
“(College of the Desert)’s pitcher did not have as much speed on her pitches as today’s pitchers did,” Oro said. “It messed up our rhythm from the outset.”
Kaci Keltner replaced Gonzalez in the top of the fourth inning, and picked up right where Gonzalez left off, striking out three and only allowing two hits.
Warrior coach Susie Calderon said she believes it will be a challenge this season with only Wilke and Oro returning from last season.
With the Golden West Tournament this weekend, Calderon believes it will be good to see which positions she can put her players in.
“With just (Wilke) and (Oro) coming back from last year, it definitely hurts our team chemistry,” Calderon said. “Last season’s bench could have all started this season.”
While construction of the new parking structure on campus is complete, the women are still without a true “home field”.
In 2008, the Warriors split time between Alondra Park in Lawndale and Freeman Park in Gardena, practicing mostly at Alondra and hosting games at Freeman.
“It has been tough being off of campus these past two years,” Calderon said. “Everything you can possibly imagine has happened to this team.”
Warrior freshman Diana Cortez came in to relieve Wilke in the bottom of the third inning and started off shaky, allowing a single and a double two to the first two batters she faced before retiring the next three.
Cortez allowed just one run on two hits in two innings of work.
“Our two pitchers aren’t even natural pitchers,” Calderon said. “They are doing the best we can and it is greatly appreciated. When we make errors behind them, it gets pretty tough.”
