With the graduation of pitcher Andrea Gonzalez last year, Diamond Bar High School’s varsity softball team is looking to its younger talent for success this season.

Though opening the season with a dominating 21-2 win against Rowland High School, the Lady Brahmas fell short in their next games against the Diamond Ranch Panthers and Glendora Tartans. In the Diamond Ranch game, the girls lost junior shortstop Lizzie Wilson to a concussion, subbing in freshman Allie Tejeda. Wilson led the team last season with 26 hits, a.325 batting average and 15 RBI.

“We didn’t play the way we are capable of playing. We gave up runs early in the game, they kept building the lead bigger and bigger.” head coach Roberta Garcia said.

The Lady Brahmas won against Ayala, 2-1, last Friday and faced Claremont this Monday. Despite having had only two games before entering league play, senior captains Ruth Munoz and Rebecca Winder are counting on many of the freshman to carry the team.

Freshman Anna Lasko and Winder are among the pitchers this season, each with a different style. According to Munoz, Winder’s strengths include her change-up pitch and experience playing on varsity. Last year, Winder led the team with 45 strikeouts in 118 innings pitched.

“[Winder is] more of a finesse type of pitcher and the defense has to really be able to make the plays. [Lasko] throws a little bit harder but she might not be as consistent as Becky,” Garcia said. “They are good because they are opposites. One throws faster than the other. One’s more experienced than the other. We’re hoping with that combination, we’ll be able to throw off these teams that we’re gonna be playing against.”

Garcia also said that they have a better hitting team than previous years.

The team will be facing off against the South Hills Huskies today looking to take home another league win.