CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Becoming the first softball team from Corpus Christi to win a state championship is a memory the Calallen Lady Cats will never forget. Now it's a new at-bat, and a fresh start to a new season.
"They're working out harder," Teresa Lentz, Calallen softball head coach, said. "They're working out more, and they want to be pushed. They want to be in that position to be able to do it again."
UIL 4A Calallen returned starting pitcher sophomore Jordyn Thibodeaux and added Bianca Gonzales. The Lady Cats also bring back their entire defense that includes five seniors. Experienced players in addition to freshmen that can battle for a starting role.
"You know all of these girls are competing for a position," Lentz said. "Doesn't matter if they had it last year or not and they know that. We've got some good incoming freshmen and some talent. I think we're all excited to kind of just get out there and see what we can do with it."
It's a process, and the focus this offseason was to get stronger and faster in all aspects of the game.
"We have a really good lineup, and once we see a pitcher once like they're not going to beat us the second time around," Megan Geyer, Calallen senior shortstop, said. "We make adjustments very fast."
Adjustments they can trust each other to make with confidence.
"I like that we're all so close together and we can like trust each other on everything," Alaunah Almaraz, Calallen senior third baseman, said. "I feel that we communicate good, and I feel like we'll just bring the same energy and we'll pick up from where we left off last season."
As the defending state champions some say Calallen has a target on their back, but the Lady Cats welcome the challenge because pressure is a privilege.
"The tone and the focus that is happening in practice is really, really, really something," Lentz said. "That to start a season off is really kind of cool and kind of fun. It's really nice to be a part of. The coaches, we're leaving practice and we're just like, 'that was awesome'."
Catch the Lady Cats in their first home scrimmage of the season against Flour Bluff and Floresville this Saturday.
"Say when." -Doc Holliday, Tombstone@Calallen_SBall defending @uiltexas 4A state champs know they've got to be prepared this spring. Pressure is a privilege. 🥎 They're doing the usual, but putting in more work to be ready. #KRIS6Sports @Alaunah2024 @MeganGeyer2024 @Tflolentz pic.twitter.com/GBuizQyZKV
— Larissa Liska (@LarissaLiska) January 24, 2024
