As an overcast sky hung over the JV softball field on Monday, April 7, the girls left the field leaving a similar gloom in their wake. The team faced their first loss of the season against Lowell High School with a final score of 4-2.

“We struggled a little bit at the plate, but we had some good defensive plays too. We’re pretty sound defensively, but we need to work on getting more aggressive at the plate,” Crystal Guzman (9) said.

Although some players had the chance to see their opponent in previous seasons, Lowell’s performance had changed from the last time the team played the Red Devils.

“I wasn’t expecting them to hit as much as they did. We needed to stay focused and be more involved in the game. I’m trying to improve on my hitting. I was injured, so I hadn’t seen live pitching in a while, and my timing was off. I’m looking forward to a more intense game altogether,” Savannah Childress (10) said.

First losses can sting at first, but the girls still have plenty of time to revive themselves. Monday’s against Lowell was their third game of the season.

“Having a home loss isn’t the best, but we’re going to try our hardest to get them next time. We need to stay focused and cheer each other on,” Guzman said.