The Y-D Red Sox were handed their first loss of the season Monday evening by the Harwich Mariners, 3-2. Despite their strong hitting in last week’s preseason scrimmage with the Mariners, Y-D did not record any hits until the fifth inning and were held scoreless until the seventh inning of Monday’s game.
A game-tying two-run single from UCLA’s Cameron Kim in the seventh helped Y-D stay in the game for a bit. The freshman infielder said that there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to team performance at the plate.
“During summer ball, a lot of us try to look for individual stats,” Kim said. “But I think once we come together as a team, we'll start zoning in and driving the ball.”
Phoenix Call, another UCLA Bruin, added that the team is still new, and once they get to know each other more it will benefit their performance. He also notched a pair of singles for Y-D during the game and had a steal on the bases.
At the plate, all eyes are on the batter as spectators, coaches, and others eagerly wait to see what they will do. But it is tough to know what goes through the batter’s mind when they enter the batter’s box.
Kim said that it can be easy to rush yourself when you are up there. He added that he tends to do well at the plate when he doesn’t think too much about the moment.
“I tell myself to slow it down and not to overthink,” Kim said. “Just keeping a clear mind and moving in slow motion.”
Call has a similar approach when he steps up to the plate. He stays level-headed and works to set up his next teammate in the lineup for success.
“Just compete. That's all I really focus on out there,” Call said.
The Red Sox have four more games lined up this week through Saturday, three on the road and one at home. With a full week ahead, the Y-D mentality according to Kim and Call is to get after it, compete, and come back to win the next couple of ball games.
Photo by Sophie Solarino
