Pitcher Jacynda Lindsay* (first year) said the shift was sparked by the change of scenery.
“[In] the first game against Dickinson, our coach said, ‘Take a deep breath and look out at the ocean, look at the waves and then look at your feet, because this is where we are right now,” Lindsay said. “‘Ground yourself. Play the game.’ And [then] we won.”
Lindsay said one of the difference makers was the team’s unity and mental clarity.
“We were playing less scared in Hawaii,” Lindsay said. “We were playing with more confidence. We were having more fun. I’ve gotten to know these girls so much more than I did before, and we’re finally able to understand each other in our playing styles and just as people in general.”
Pitcher Lehua Acoba (first year) said the trip helped build team chemistry, especially for the younger players.
“We have a really young team, and some of our starters are freshmen,” Acoba said. “I think everyone was trying to figure out how to work together, but then the trip brought us really close.”
Acoba, an O’ahu native, said it was a relief playing on her home turf.
“I felt a lot more comfortable playing at home, especially because we were playing at fields that I played at a lot in high school, so it felt familiar,” Acoba said. “It felt nice because all my friends [and] family were there to see me play at a collegiate level […] it was nice to have my team in my home state.”
Catcher Molly Houtkooper (junior) said the energy felt different when playing in Hawaii.
“[Before], we weren’t making it through full games with the same intensity that we started the game at,” Houtkooper said. “What changed is [that] the away trip takes a little bit of the pressure off. We’re there to play softball but also to have fun.”
Houtkooper said securing a statement victory in the first game against Dickinson was crucial for getting the ball rolling.
“We’ve been waiting for [a win] and all the pieces have been falling into place,” Houtkooper said. “We all went out there really wanting to win, and wanting to not only feel the win but feel successful in general. Being able to come out of the first game and run rule the other team was a super great feeling.”
Lindsay said softball is looking to capitalize on their recent success and carry that momentum into the rest of the season.
“We are going to win a series,” Lindsay said. “We’ve taken a lot of losses this season but that only makes [us] hungry. You only want that win more and more, and you put in more work […] everyone is ready to level up.”
Lindsay said she has big expectations for herself to perform well for the team, and focuses on putting in consistent effort.
“There’s obviously the expectation that you want to play perfectly, but there’s also the realization that you can never be perfect,” Lindsay said. “I expect myself to put 110 percent into every play and every pitch even before I get to the locker room — just being locked in and ready for the game, every step of the way, regardless of if I’m on the field or not.”
Houtkooper said she holds herself to a high standard as well.
“My goal is always just to put the ball in play and make the plays that need to be made,” Houtkooper said. “As far as what I expect from myself, it’s not necessarily perfection, but as close to it as I can get in a game of failure.”
Houtkooper said the team’s past losses don’t reflect poorly on their future.
“We have expectations in terms of how we perform, not necessarily in terms of the outcome,” Houtkooper said. “Even when we have those closer games and we come out on the losing end, those games can still be productive. The expectation is that everyone puts in as much energy and effort as they can on that given day. The results will come when they need to come.”
Lindsay said she’s happy to be representing softball on campus.
“I’m walking around in my softball uniform all day,” Lindsay said. “I feel proud to walk around with that Oxy softball shirt on, repping for the team.”
*Jacynda Lindsay is a photographer and illustrator at The Occidental.
Contact Angus Kapstein Parkhill at parkhill@oxy.edu
