Prep softball preview: Kai Minor and OLu take aim | College News

The consideration that comes with being one of the highest high college recruits within the nation at their place might be a distraction for a lot of gamers however not so for Orange Lutheran senior heart fielder Kai Minor.

For her, the sport is all about profitable, and coming so close final 12 months solely to lose to Garden Grove Pacifica within the Southern Section Division 1 championship recreation fuels the fire for her and her teammates to get back to the finals and win. Minor wishes to depart an indelible mark on this system and what higher method to take action than to ship a part title?

“The culture,” Minor stated when requested why she signed with Oklahoma in November. “It was a good visit to Norman and reflects everything I’m about. I’m looking forward to this season and getting ready for the next level. We have more pitching depth than last year.”

Minor is one of six seniors on a roster that features seven freshmen and three sophomores.

She leads by instance, however is vocal when she must be: “It’ll be my role to coach them up at times … I’ll say, ‘Hey, this needs to get done.’”

Orange Lutheran opened at No. 4 in CalHiSports.com’s top-20 rankings for the Southland and will look to defend its Trinity League crown behind Minor, shortstop and Mississippi commit Madelyn Armendariz (who like Minor performs membership for OC Batbusters) and UCLA-bound pitcher Jo Marsh, a junior switch from Los Alamitos.

Although hitting is her favourite side of the sport, Minor is a terror on the basepaths and has performed heart since she took up the game as a teenager. “I like it because it gives me room to run left or right, forward and back,” she stated.

Minor batted a team-best .420 with 29 base hits, 19 RBIs and 4 home runs with a team-high .540 on-base proportion as a junior and she has picked up proper the place she left off — contributing six hits, 4 RBIs, three runs and an .889 slugging proportion because the Lancers beat Corona Santiago, Great Oak and Riverside Poly on the Norco Showcase in Chino Hills final week.

No one appreciates Minor’s expertise and talent more than longtime assistant coach and Orange Lutheran alum Jenny Miklos, whose dad, Steve, has piloted this system since Miklos was a junior.

“Kai has all the physical tools you need and over the last four years has really improved in the mental aspect of this sport,” stated Miklos, who went on to play at Concordia University in Irvine. “She’s the fastest player I’ve ever coached, she has a great attitude at the plate and excels at not chasing bad pitches. She’s batting third in the lineup right now but she’s great in the 1 or 2 spot or wherever we put her. She doesn’t try to do too much.

Kai Minor has six hits, four RBIs, three runs and an .889 slugging percentage through three games for the Lancers.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“She has supreme confidence in the people behind her. She’s a natural lefty and we’ll rely on her leadership a lot this season. It’s one of the stronger teams we’ve had. We have five pitchers we can rely on.”

Orange Lutheran has a demanding schedule and might run into No. 2 Anaheim Canyon on the upcoming Dave Kops Tournament of Champions or Carew Classic in Anaheim (April 3-5). The Comanches possess one of the elite infields in Orange County, led by Brigham Young -bound first baseman Irma Urincho, Augusta University commit Victoria Oropeza at second and California-bound shortstop Jade Diaz.

“It’s not about me,” Minor insisted. “It’s about honing in on the games we have coming up.”

Here are different gamers to watch this spring:

Taelyn Holley, Sr., OF, Murrieta Mesa

The Rams’ leadoff hitter and Tennessee commit powered her crew to the Division 1 semifinals a 12 months in the past whereas scoring a California-best 59 runs and batting .598 with 11 home runs to earn CalHiSports.com’s state junior participant of the 12 months. She posted a .708 on-base proportion, swiped 14 luggage final spring and is the catalyst for an offense that figures to attain lots of runs again after averaging 9.5 per recreation in 2024.

Alyssa Galindo, Sr., P, Etiwanda

It is uncommon for a pitcher to even be the crew’s best hitter, however such was the case for the Eagles final season. The Michigan State commit racked up 51 hits, 36 RBIs, 12 homers and scored 24 runs, and posted a 10-2 report with two saves and 111 strikeouts for a glowing earned-run average of 0.83. She earned Division 3 participant of the 12 months after main the Eagles to 31 wins and a piece of the Baseline League title.

Brooke Stephens, Sr., OF, JSerra

Led the Lions in hits (35), runs (23), triples (4) and stolen bases (8) as a junior. She went three for 3 with a triple and three runs scored in an 8-0 event victory in opposition to California final April and had two clutch singles in her crew’s 3-2 come-from-behind overcome La Mirada within the first spherical of the Division 1 playoffs.

McKenzy Becerra, Sr., 3B, Ayala

Made the All-Southern Section Division 2 crew final season after getting 39 hits, driving in 43 runs, belting 5 homers, eight doubles and 4 triples, and batting .488 — all crew highs. She was a massive purpose the Bulldogs captured the Palomares League crown.

Addison Moorman, Sr., P, Granada Hills

Addison Moorman pitched Granada Hills to the City Section Open Division championship recreation during which the Highlands misplaced 1-0 in 14 innings to Carson.

(Craig Weston)

She has been the City Section’s premier performer within the circle the final two years and will probably be motivated to cap her closing marketing campaign in inexperienced and white with a title after the Highlanders misplaced back-to-back Open Division finals to Carson. She had a 1.14 earned-run average with 195 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings as a junior. She recorded 19 strikeouts and no walks in a 14-inning, 1-0 loss within the City title recreation final May.

Mia Cortez, Sr., SS, Arlington

One of the highest returners in Riverside County and an All-Southern Section Division 3 first-team choice final 12 months, Cortez turned heads as a junior after slugging .833, with 35 hits, 24 RBIs and 17 doubles whereas posting a .530 average and a 1.401 OPS. The Lions moved to the Sunbelt League after ending second within the River Valley final spring and Cortez will need to be sound defensively again. She had 26 putouts and 25 assists as a junior.

Alyssa Torres, Jr., C, Valley View

Played catcher and shortstop and earned All-CIF Division 2 first crew honors as a sophomore. She was the Eagles’ stat chief in virtually each offensive class: batting average (.513), on-base proportion (.566), slugging proportion (1.157), complete hits (59), runs (51), RBIs (55), homers (20) and doubles (12). She is one of three crew captains this 12 months.

Sofia Hernandez, Jr., 3B, Whittier Christian

The Arizona State-bound infielder was overshadowed by teammate Aleena Garcia (now at UCLA) final 12 months however has the highlight all to herself this spring. She had 48 hits, 30 RBIs, 13 doubles, 4 homers and 36 runs whereas batting .490 as a sophomore. She additionally topped the Heralds with 12 stolen bases.

Mattea Stern, So., OF, Garden Grove Pacifica

Paced the Division I champion Mariners with 36 hits and 20 steals and was second in runs scored (29) as a freshman. She was additionally third on the crew in batting average (.456) and noticed motion in 27 of 29 video games. Stern can’t afford a sophomore droop if the Mariners need to three-peat as they misplaced 10 gamers to commencement, together with three first-team all-state picks.