Narissa Garcia and Madison Hernandez are both seniors on the APU softball team and have played together as teammates since they were 12 years old. The self-proclaimed “Dream Team” originated while playing for the American Pastime travel ball team.
Garcia and Hernandez like to reflect about their humble beginnings.
“I played third base and I was a hitter. Then I liked to pitch, so I just transferred into that,” Garcia said.
“I was the middle infielder before I started with the American Pastime team, but then I got stuck behind the plate,” Hernandez said.
Both athletes developed a deep passion for the game of softball and put in a lot of work off the field.
However, as high school approached, they faced the challenge of attending different schools: Garcia went to Redlands High School, and Hernandez went to Upland High School.
“I played against [Hernandez] in the CIF semifinals and we lost 1-0 in the sixth inning,” Garcia said.
“It was the round before the finals, and that was such a good game,” Hernandez said. “It was scoreless for six innings and we finally got someone on base and scored; we just shut them down.”
As Upland High School won the CIF that year, it was a bittersweet experience, but both players grew from it.
The path that brought the two back together was looking for a college to attend.
“I got an offer from Azusa Pacific out of nowhere,” Garcia said. “When I came to the tryouts, Maddie [Hernandez] was sitting right here in the dug out. She caught for me, and now the rest is history.”
“At the time, Gina Oaks was an assistant coach at APU. She told me to come try out, so I came out, and they picked me up that day,” Hernandez said. With a huge smile on her face, Hernandez recalled what Oaks told her next. “Coach [Oaks] was like, ‘You have to come out and see this pitcher and catch for her,’ and it ended up being Narissa.”
Head coach Carrie Webber explains how in softball “your battery is your pitcher and catcher.”
Having the rare luxury of a battery with so much history and experience together gives the team and coaching staff more confidence.
“When Garcia’s pitches are on, it creates a sense of confidence and security behind her with the defense,” Webber said.
While transitioning from high school to college is hard on anyone, Garcia and Hernandez had each other to lean on.
“It was a difficult transition going from being a top player in high school and then coming here and having to fight for our spot,” Hernandez said.
The two players have logged hours of fighting for those starting positions. As Garcia put it, “We just practice together, coming early and staying late.”
Although they share the same work ethic, they bring unique personalities to the game.
“I’m more of the quiet one,” Garcia said. “[Hernandez] is the one yelling at you from across the field.”
Both members of the Dream Team admit that, at the end of the day, “it’s all about our friendship” with their secret handshake and developed intuition of what the other person is thinking.
“I’m pretty sure I have ESP with her. I can read her mind and she can read mine,” said Hernandez. “I know when she throws a pitch if it is going to be a strike or when it is going to be a ball.”
“I’ve been teammates with them for three years now,” junior outfielder Abry Moreno said. “You can just tell that they are on the same page almost every game.”
With the love and admiration of the whole team, Garcia sums up the unique dynamic duo as “a pitcher-catcher thing.”
Garcia currently leads the Cougars with a 2.62 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched this year. Hernandez is a two-time All-PacWest team catcher who is currently hitting .421 this season.
The Cougars have high hopes for the 2016 season, and the Dream Team looks to keep the positive momentum going through their hard work ethic and upbeat personality.
The team will play its next game at home on Friday, Feb. 19, against Adelphi.