By Jacob Graves
Staff Writer

Jessica Buel’s 2024-25 softball squad kicked off their fall scrimmage season in Seattle against the University of Washington on Oct. 12. The following afternoon, the Cougars took on a double-header in Eugene. 

With gameplay at the iconic Jane Sanders Stadium at the University of Oregon, the Cougars faced off against Coos Bay’s own Southwestern Oregon Community College in which Clackamas Community College gained the victory by a score of 7-3. Following the Cougars’ first win, CCC took on the Oregon Ducks softball team. The home team remained victorious as the Cougars were defeated by a score of 12-2. Despite the loss, the upcoming season holds hope as the team is due for a breakout year. 

Clackamas Community College plays Southwestern Oregon Community College at Jane Sanders Stadium on Oct. 13, 2024. Photo by Evan Tichenor.

Inside CCC’s dugout at Jane Sanders Stadium. Photo by Evan Tichenor.

Coach Buel said “the scrimmages as a whole this fall were great. The girls showed a lot of athleticism and team chemistry. We are a very young team and it was good to see them compete with bigger schools.” Buel, who has lead her team to 13 consecutive postseason appearances while compiling a career record of 406-192, also said, “We always have things to work on and areas of growth needed. This will be a great off season to fine tune our softball knowledge and skills. We are looking at the whole team to contribute this year.”

CCC stops a UO player from reaching second base in the second inning. Photo by Evan Tichenor.

CCC batter gets ready to swing. Photo by Evan Tichenor

Outfielder/catcher Kylie Carapinha said in a text the Eugene double-header was great. “I think it really showed and projected the future of our season,” said Carapinha. “We worked really well together as a team and held Oregon to a pretty low score! Overall, I’m excited for us as a team and to see how we do in our upcoming spring season.”

CCC player gets ready to run from second base. Photo by Evan Tichenor

The team has only had three games in the fall scrimmage season. Lindsay LeBreton, mother of Zoe LeBreton, a first-year shortstop, said, “Every game, we’ve seen a big difference, especially with their confidence and cohesive play style. I’m definitely seeing them work more together as a team and just gel more, which is a good sign to see early on.” 

Lindsay LeBreton and her husband cheer on their daughter, Zoe LeBreton. Photo by Evan Tichenor

Player 15 pitches from the mound at Jane Sanders Stadium. Photo by Evan Tichenor

LeBreton also praised the pitchers for holding their own during significant moments, highlighting the Cougars’ “strong pitching depth and preparation for performance.”

She also gave a preview of what fans should expect from the offensive side of the ball: “Our team confidence is steadily improving the more we play, and the more confidence we show on the field, the more we make contact on the ball. It’s going to be a treat to see what we are capable of this upcoming season.”

CCC player pitches from the mound at Jane Sanders Stadium. Photo by Evan Tichenor

The Cougars posted a record of 28-19 in the 2023-24 season, hitting 61 home runs all together with a team batting average of .353. All in all, it appears that Clackamas is curating a team culture destined to mark great achievements in the postseason in the near future.

The spring season schedule has yet to be released.