The Cal Poly women’s softball team will open their season against San Diego State at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament at UCLA on Friday.
Coming back from last year’s third place Big West finish and 24-22 overall record, head coach Jenny Condon said the team has been preparing since the end of last season, and looks strong going into their first tournament.
“We had about four or five scrimmages with some outside competition just to see where we are and give the freshman some experience at this level,” she said. “We practice pretty much every weekday until game day.”
Condon’s goals for the season include winning conference, making it to the post season, and trying to win regionals. Just two years removed from a conference championship, Condon said the team’s goals are realistic.
“If you are playing without the thought of winning a national championship in your mind, then I don’t think you are doing it for the right reasons,” she said. “That’s the ultimate goal for everyone here. We have been preparing to put ourselves in a position where hopefully we will get the opportunity to play in a national championship.”
If the team is to strive for a national championship, it will have to battle through a competitive schedule that includes 21 games against opponents who appeared in last years NCAA tournament including San Diego State and Purdue to start the year in the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament.
Even though the team lost several key players including right fielder Sarah Iwata, a former first team All-Big West selection, and pitcher Robyn Kontra, Condon said that the team will be just as strong this season.
“I think they’re fine,” she said. “Every year the team is different. I think this year we’ve got some great senior leadership and they have done a great job working on team chemistry and really setting the tone in the classroom and on the field. Their work ethic is second to none.”
Seven position starters and three pitchers will return from last year’s team which Condon said makes it the deepest team she’s had from an experience standpoint.
Condon said that team chemistry is exceptional this year, and is confident that it will be the reason the team will maximize its potential.
“I think it’s one of those intangibles, at the end of the season when you come up short in some area a lot of teams find that that’s the reason,” she said. “When you are all fighting for the same thing it makes it a little bit easier. I think our seniors have done a good job cultivating the relationships with the younger players and bringing them along quicker than we have in the past.
“At this point I think we’re in a good position for the beginning of the season. Our pitching looks solid, our defense is great and hitting is good as well.”
Senior third baseman Cristen Lee said that her goal is to put everything she can out on the field, win conference and advance to regionals.
“I think we have all the tools that we need to be able to do that,” she said. “It’s a matter of being able to execute it.”
Senior shortstop Melissa Pura said that she is sure that the team is capable of winning the Big West title and its biggest strength is work ethic and unity.
“I think this season is so different in the fact that we’re so close, which is very unique,” she said. “Our team is like a family.”