Offseason work gave Villalpando confidence and a starting role

Alyssa Villalpando’s time investment over the summer has paid off quite nicely in the early spring.

In the break following her freshman year with the University of Hawaii softball team, Villalpando made a 45-minute drive from her home in El Monte, Calif., to Anaheim each Thursday to meet with hitting coach Chrissy Haines.

Villalpando spent her time in the batting cage shedding old habits while Haines reinforced many of the same points UH coach Bob Coolen had preached during the season.

"It’s the same hitting style, just different mechanics," Villalpando said. "So it did take me a while to adjust, but I’m definitely seeing the outcome."

Bolstered by the confidence that comes with preparation, Villalpando has simply pounded opposing pitching lately.

The sophomore third baseman enters Thursday’s opening game of the Bank of Hawaii Invitational against San Jose State as UH’s leading hitter following an impressive performance last week in Las Vegas. Over six games in the Easton Desert Classic, Villalpando went 10-for-21 (.476) with two doubles and three home runs and drove in 11 runs.

She returns to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium hitting .522 overall with a 1.043 slugging percentage as UH begins a month-long homestand at 7-4.

"I saw the ball really well," Villalpando said. "I think with me it’s just staying relaxed at the plate."

After Villalpando hit .165 in 40 games as a freshman, she began working with Haines on Coolen’s recommendation.

"I knew Chrissy’s (hitting philosophy) was very similar to ours," Coolen said.

Villalpando said Haines who was in Las Vegas for last week’s tournament worked with her on handling inside pitches while building on UH’s aggressive approach.

"They have a different hitting style here and just seeing the ball out in front was a little different for me," Villalpando said, "because (in club softball) it was always wait for the ball to get deep and take it to the right side. With Coach Bob it’s seeing the ball out in front and taking it to the fence."

Villalpando took three pitches over the fence last week in Las Vegas, all coming at pivotal moments in UH comebacks, including a game-tying grand slam against Portland State that capped a Wahine rally from a 10-run deficit.

Along with the adjustments to her swing, Coolen noted a different demeanor at the plate when Villalpando returned for the spring semester.

"I could see the confidence," Coolen said. "That’s what I needed to see."

Villalpando began the season as the third catcher on UH’s depth chart, but took advantage of two pinch-hitting appearances with a single and a double in the season’s opening weekend. Coolen inserted her into the starting lineup at third base, where she started 28 games last year, for last week’s tournament.

"I hadn’t been getting a lot of reps, but now that I’m at third base I need to start getting back into it, staying after practice getting those extra reps," Villalpando said.

"I have to get the feel for it again, but I’ll play wherever he puts me and do the best of my ability to get the job done."

Thursday’s game against San Jose State (7-3) opens the four-day Bank of Hawaii Invitational. The Spartans started the season 7-0, and two of their losses last week came against No. 3 Washington and No. 5 Arizona State. UH will face Saint Mary’s (4-6) on Friday and North Carolina (2-6), led by NFCA Hall of Fame coach Donna J. Papa, on Saturday. Bracket play starts Saturday afternoon, with the third-place and title games on Sunday.

The tournament will be a homecoming for two Iolani graduates, San Jose State’s Kryn Masutani and Lahela Usui of Saint Mary’s.