Prep Talk: Do You Believe? Vista Murrieta Softball Team Hands First Loss To Murrieta Mesa

Vista Murrieta softball coach Chantal Smith decided to return a different attack this week erstwhile preparing her squad to look 20-0 Murrieta Mesa.

“I conscionable wanted to alteration their mindset,” she said. “We were focusing connected nan outcome, controlling what we could control, playing 100% and conscionable having fun. We had thing to lose.”

So nan improbable happened. Vista Murrieta, pinch a 10-10 grounds going in, handed No. 1-ranked Murrieta Mesa its first defeat, 10-5, connected Tuesday.

“It was beautiful amazing,” Smith said. “The girls jumped up and down and screamed.”

Sophomore pitcher Kaylynn Lowman gave up 2 location runs to Murrieta Mesa successful nan first inning but didn’t pout. She ended up throwing a complete crippled pinch 2 strikeouts and nary walks.

“They mentally stayed successful from commencement to finish,” a proud Smith said. “They ne'er gave up. They didn’t attraction astir nan start.”

It’s different instruction astir nan resiliency of teenage athletes and nan powerfulness of a coach’s words.

“If we play our game, we tin hit anybody,” Smith told her players.

They believed.

This is simply a regular look astatine nan affirmative happenings successful precocious schoolhouse sports. To taxable immoderate news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.