The diamond situated behind California High School will soon be alive with the buzz of softball season.
On Monday, the Lady Pintos will host a jamboree. Four days later, they will host the Iberia Rangers in the season’s first game.
California’s softball roster looks very similar to a year ago. After graduating two seniors in the spring, head coach Ashley Anderson retains 80 percent of last year’s team. Add in eight freshmen and the 2026 roster is four players deeper than 2025’s.
“The ability to push each other is ultimately (what is) going to make us better as a team,” Anderson said. “Be positive, encouraging and set the tone for the rest of the team to follow.”
Returning this fall for California are seniors Kadynce Williams, Marlee Russell, Emily Burger and Ella Burger, juniors Lilly Holsman, Kinzie Haile, Maiya Burger, Madison Bleich and Laney Anderson and sophomores Lidia Pringer, Sophie Porter, Izzy Lewis, Emma Jones, Aspen Crawford, Jackie Chavez and Faith Ashley.
The freshmen class includes Leah Templeton, Lakota Oswald, Korbyn Mitchell, Alyssa Johnson, Avery Hill, Charley Dunham, Kimberly Cobb and Hadley Bieri.
This group of girls will attempt to secure a winning season for the first time since 2022. Last year’s Lady Pintos went 12-16, but took a playoff joyride all the way to the district championship game. California ultimately fell short to Southern Boone, but did lock up second place in the district.
“We play a lot of schools that have a rich softball history (and) that have played in state or district championships on our schedule,” Anderson said. “The Tri-County Conference is always tough, which usually ends up being the majority of our district opponents as well.”
Last fall, California won two of its four games in the month of August. However, throughout all of September and up to Oct. 20, the Lady Pintos won just 10 of 24 games. Four losses came by one run, nine were by five or more runs and five were shutouts.
Despite finishing the 2025 season with a run differential of -38, California put up an average of 7.17 runs per game across its 12 wins. In fact, 86 of the team’s 117 total runs (73.5 percent) came in those 12 wins. In the 16 losses, California allowed 121 total runs and over 7.50 per game. This high mark was brought on by some defensive miscues, an issue Anderson is addressing this season.
“Defensively, (it’s about) picking up and throwing the mistakes that occur and not (letting) it spiral,” Anderson said.
Outside of the California Turf War, the Lady Pintos will play eight home games this fall. The jamboree doesn’t count in the record column, but Anderson wants to see the team building begin there.
“I (want to see them) having fun, communicating and bringing energy,” Anderson said.
The jamboree will begin at 4 p.m. Monday and the Lady Pintos’ home opener on Aug. 28 against Iberia will tee off at 5 p.m.