Brittany Garland knew what she needed to fix in order to help the women’s softball team in its doubleheader against San Francisco on Tuesday.
“I have been over-swinging, and it just hasn’t been working for me,” Garland said. “Against San Francisco, I went up just looking to get base hits, and it worked.”
ÿThe women swept the doubleheader against San Francisco City, 8-0 and 9-1, as both games were called after five innings due to the mercy rule.
The Warriors will travel to Chaffey today, before going to the Santa Barbara Tournament this weekend.
“Brittany has been on fire offensively of late,” coach Susie Calderon said. “She is pitching very well. Everything is finally coming along.”
Garland, who pitched five innings in the first game of the doubleheader, struck out one while only allowing one hit, as well as recording six runs batted in during both games.
During the second game of the doubleheader, Calderon sent out sophomore Ginger Martinez as the starting pitcher.
“Both games were a total team performance,” Martinez said. “I feel like I did what I could (to help the team win).”
Martinez pitched five innings before the umpires called the game because of the mercy rule.
Martinez only allowed four hits while striking out six of the San Francisco batters she faced.
Martinez also contributed to the offense, driving in two runs during the second game.
“Ginger just needs to regain her confidence,” Calderon said. “It’s tough when you get taken out of a game early. I am looking forward to having Ginger pitch a few of the games (this weekend).”
The Warriors will travel Santa Barbara this weekend, where they will face L.A. Pierce and Southwest on Saturday and Santa Ana and Saddleback on Sunday.
“We have two tough games on Sunday,” Calderon said. “I just hope we can carry the momentum from the doubleheader into our game (today) and the tournament.”
Calderon was pleased after the team’s performance against the Rams, as the pitchers San Francisco had have given the Warriors’ hitters problems in the past.
“We have had trouble against pitchers like the ones we saw (Tuesday),” Calderon said.
“Our team was on fire. We hit the ball very well, and every one of the women got a chance to play,” she said.
Calderon encountered a problem when informed that her starting catcher, Blair Brooks, was unable to play against San Francisco City.
However, Calderon has a deep bench that holds two backup catchers, incluing Britney Bosnak due to s knee injury not related to softball.
“Britney did a heck of a job (filling in for Blair),” Calderon said. “She doesn’t have the arm strength of my other two catchers, but she does a great job regardless.”
Brooks remains optimistic that she will be able to play during this weekend’s tournament at Santa Barbara.
“I hope I will be able to play,” Brooks said. “I am unable to bend my knee completely, but I hope that will change.”
Garland looked back to the Golden West Tournament, where the women placed third, as a stepping-stone going into this weekend’s tournament at Santa Barbara.
“If we come together and play like we did (at Golden West), we are unstoppable,” Garland said. “When we play as a team, we win.”
