KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
RIO HONDO— Senior Kayla Castaneda has been in plenty of big spots in her career.
The slugger is one of three remaining members from Rio Hondo’s 2017 region final team.
Last year, Castaneda suffered a season-ending knee injury during the first scrimmage of the season.
A year later, Castaneda is back fully healthy and is providing Rio Hondo leadership and a bat in the middle of the Lady Bobcats’ order.
Castaneda and the Lady ’Cats are on the brink of another trip to the Sweet 16 and open their best-of-three series tonight at home against Sinton at 7 p.m.
The Valley Morning Star got a chance to catch up with the Rio Hondo slugger.
Q: Do you have any superstitions when you play?
Kayla: When it is game day, before the games we don’t step on the white lines, no matter what.
Q: You wear the No. 21 any reason why you wear that number?
Kayla: Ever since I was in Little League, I wore the No. 21. That has always been my number my entire career.
Q: What makes you love the game of softball?
Kayla: Really it is the atmosphere. Here in Rio Hondo, with this team, I have made friends and those friends have become family over the years. I also have made so many good memories with some ups and downs, but I love it.
Q: We are a few years removed from the region final run. You are one of three members from that team remaining and it’s your senior year. Has all of that hit you yet?
Kayla: It has been a great feeling and now that I’m a senior, we are still here. It is great for the younger girls to see and experience the playoff runs, so when us seniors graduate, they will know what it takes and what it means.”
Q: What is your favorite pregame meal?
Kayla: I honestly go to Stripes, I get two burritos, a blue Gatorade and a bag of funyuns chips. I go to doc’s room and we sit down and talk. That is my game day routine and my game day snack.
Q: What are you binge watching on Netflix?
Kayla: Right now it’s Grey’s Anatomy.
Q: If you could have three wishes what would they be?
Kayla: I would want to travel the world, restart my high school softball career and my third wish would be to meet Oklahoma’s Lauren Chamberlin; she hits a lot of homers for the Sooners.
Q: Who is your pick to win the Woman’s College World Series?
Kayla: It would have to be Oklahoma, all the way that is my team.
Q: If you could have dinner with anyone in history who would it be?
Kayla: It would be President Donald Trump. I think he is a very interesting person and I don’t understand his thinking sometimes.
Q: Tell us something we might not know about you?
Kayla: I sleep with my dog every night. I can’t go without it; it feels weird if I don’t have my dog asleep with me.