Coaches: Alia Marquez (head coach), Emma Suh (assistant coach)

Top Returners: Samantha Apolinar (12), Arianna Holguin (12), Elayna Marquez (12)

Top Newcomers: Destiny Duff (9), Aubrey Llort (9)

Last season: The Lady Lancers finished fifth in the Freeway League with a 2-10 record and an overall record of 9-14. The softball team did not advance to the CIF-SS playoffs.

Outlook: Freshly joining the North Hills League this year, the new head coach said the team is eagerly entering the field with a renewed sense of purpose. Having fallen short on their standings last season, they are filled with determination to turn things around and contend for a league title.

“I’m definitely most excited for our league games,” head coach Alia Marquez said. “I think we’ll be able to compete and hopefully bring home the win.”

As the team prepares for the season, catcher and co-captain Elayna Marquez said her teammates are focused on staying consistent with their overall performance and winning the league title this season.

“We want to win league this year,” Elayna Marquez said. “Unfortunately, we moved down from the Freeway League, but I think it gives us a better shot at actually winning the whole thing.”

The head coach said she already has high hopes for this year’s team and said the newcomers have been adjusting very well. 

“A lot of impressive new faces this year have already raised my expectations,” the head coach said. “One particular freshman —Duff — has been leading the team with two home runs.”

Llort, a pitcher in her first year on the team, said her experience has been great so far.

“I love the environment and my teammates,” Llort said. “They just hype each other up, which makes me want to work harder to prove myself.”

The head coach also said the team’s camaraderie is going strong, setting the group on a steady path to success.

“I think the team’s chemistry overall is much better this year than it was last year,” said the head coach, having been an assistant coach the past season. “Having a lot of strong upperclassmen encourages [the newcomers] to step up their game; I think we’re looking pretty solid this year.”

Experiencing frequent coach changes in previous seasons, third baseman Holguin said it was difficult adjusting to each mentorship.

“Adapting to the different coaching styles has been challenging,” Holguin said. “So hopefully our current coach plans to stay and keep some consistency moving forward.”

Following a season shaped by tough losses and obstacles, the head coach said she feels the need to set a new standard for the team. By maintaining consistent routines and reinforcing the fundamentals, she said she hopes to correct past mistakes and create a stronger, more disciplined team.

“We take the little details that led to our losses and turn them around,” the head coach said. “If we can stay consistent with lots of energy and have fun, I think we’re going to be just fine.”

When it comes to the dugout, Elayna Marquez said she is constantly trying to bring a smile to her teammates’ faces.

“When it gets quiet on the softball field, you tend to feel sad,” Elayna Marquez said. “Constantly yelling and cheering on my teammates helps me stay engaged in the game and have fun.”

As the season begins, the head coach said she plans to change the lineups to provide everyone the opportunity to be out on the field.

“There will definitely be more rotation — in terms of playing time,” she said. “Especially early on in the season because it’ll help us find our top nine hitters.”

Beyond the box scores, the head coach said the team’s priority is ultimately enjoying their time together and having a good synergy overall.

“Establishing a positive culture for the program and creating outstanding cohesion within the team is definitely our main goal,” she said. “At the end of the day, leaving the field better than when we arrived is the ultimate win.”

The softball team played its first league game on Tuesday, March 17, and triumphed over Esperanza High School (1-1) with a 6-1 victory at the Sunny Hills field.

Looking back, starting pitcher Apolinar said the league matchup against Foothill High School was one of the most anticipated of the year as the team prepared to face a strong opponent. Still early in the season, she said the game carried extra weight as it was an opportunity for both teams to establish themselves in the standings.

The team will compete at its next home game against Troy High School (0-3) on Thursday, April 16, at 3:15 p.m on the SH softball field.