The Pasadena City College softball team begin the 2025 season with eight consecutive road games, and so far it's been a rocky start.
The Lancers were handed 5-inning defeats at state #3-ranked Palomar, 15-1, in their season opener on Jan. 25 and at Antelope Valley, 14-2, on Thursday.
Directed by second-year head coach Audriana Gutierrez, PCC returns five players from the '24 Lancers, led by returning shortstop Breanna Negrete, who batted .309 with 12 doubles, three home runs and 25 RBI as a freshman.
Other key returners are first baseman Adriana Valdez (.277, seven RBI) and infielder Alexis Garcia (11 RBI, four doubles). Another letterman is outfielder Elizabeth Avalos.
The freshmen group includes catcher Aileen Melendres, a team captain as a senior at Maywood Academy, and second baseman Natalie Huelster, who was a .382 career batter on varsity for four seasons at Monrovia High.
The team's main two pitchers are freshmen in Mariah Vazquez (Monrovia) and Genesis Ramirez (Ramona Convent Secondary).
Against AVC, Melendres belted a solo home run over the centerfield fence in the fourth inning and Valdez singled in a run in the first. Huelster batted 2-for-3 and Negrete hit a double.
In the Palomar defeat, Valdez opened the year with a RBI single after Negrete singled and stole a base in the first.
PCC next plays at Ventura College today (Jan. 31) in a 1 p.m. contest.