MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball freshman catcher Lyric Cabral sat down with USAJaguars.com to discuss how her background playing baseball has helped her game, what she wants to do when she graduates and a pregame superstition of hers, among other topics.

Cabral came to South Alabama after lettering in softball at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., where she batted .408, drove in 160 runs and posted a .986 fielding percentage during her prep career.  She also earned defensive player of the year honors as a junior and as a senior.  Cabral batted .460 and had 51 RBI, while being named to the Oklahoma High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Large West all-state team in 2017 and also helped the Titans (38-2) win the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Class 5A Fast-Pitch State Championship this past fall.

Your background is a little bit different than some other softball players as you grew up playing a lot of baseball.  How do you think that has helped you in your softball development and what did you take away from it that you apply to your game?
"One thing that I took away from baseball is the way baseball players throw the ball from different arm angles.  I've tried to work that into my game whether I'm playing at third [base] or behind the plate.  I've also take away the mentality that comes from playing baseball with boys; you always have to step up because you're a girl."

You are also a little bit unique in that you graduated high school early; you really don't see that a lot in female sports.  What led you to make that decision?
"I've always taken concurrent classes, which are classes where you are enrolled in classes where you get both high school and college credit.  I always knew that I was going to have enough class credits to graduate early.  Coach [Becky Clark] asked if that was something I was interested in doing, and of course I wanted to be able to get here early on and help the team out as much as possible."

How many college credit hours did you arrive with here at South?
"I believe I came here with 21 hours, so I'm pretty close to being a sophomore academically."

Talk about your path to South Alabama?
"The coaching staff here was in Oklahoma or Texas for a tournament and my travel ball coach put on an open practice where they came and watched me.  That was the first time that they saw me and they liked me.  They kept watching me and I finally came here on an unofficial visit.  Our relationship just grew from there."

What ultimately led you to decide to come to South Alabama?
"I came here for a bunch of different reasons, but I would have to say the big reason was the coaching staff.  A lot of schools just care about your athletic ability, but the staff here created a bond with me and they care about what you do as a person after softball.  I also wanted to go to a med school later and South has a good one."

What are you majoring in at South Alabama and what do you plan to do after graduation?
"I'm either going to end up majoring in biology or biomedical science.  I want to finish that degree and ultimately get into med school where I can become a cardiovascular surgeon."

What has the adjustment to college life been like for you?
"It's been pretty good.  At the beginning, it was definitely hard because I'm a very family-oriented person.  Moving 12 hours away from home was definitely hard for me, but a couple of girls have helped me out with that and I'm appreciative to them for that.  As far as the softball side of things, everything is more structured here and more in-depth with the game, so that has been an adjustment, but I'm getting it."

What do you feel will be the biggest adjustment for you here at South Alabama?
"School-wise, I'm taking more college classes at once than I've been used to.  In high school, I only took two at once, but now I'm taking five at the same time, so it's definitely been hard keeping up with that while also balancing the daily softball routine.  Time management is key."

What area of your game are you looking at improving this spring?
"My hitting for sure.  I feel like my defense is ok, but I want to be able to help the team offensively too."

What do you feel is a strength that you bring to the team and why?
"Probably my attitude.  I just want to always go out there and win.  I know how to have fun and when to be serious."

You mentioned that there have been a couple of players to help you with your transition to college life.  What ones have helped you with that?
"KK [Katelyn] Gruich for sure.  She's definitely taken me under her wing and helped me out.  She's a family-oriented person as well and she had a lot of similar issues as I when she first got here.  I've definitely been able to bond with her over that.  Hannah Smith has really helped me too; all the girls really have."

What is one interesting thing that Jaguar fans may not know about you?
"I can sound like an actual Jaguar.  People don't know that, but I have it inside me.  That's pretty much it though, I'm an open book from there."

Do you have a favorite place on campus?
"The 'Caf' for sure.  It's like a mini-buffet.  It's awesome.  I love it."

What does it mean to you to be a Jaguar?
"To be a Jaguar and be able to wear that name across your chest gives you a lot of pride.  You know that you have to work hard every day and have a good attitude about everything.  It means a lot to be able to come to school here and wear that jersey.  I want to be able to support my team in any way possible."

Do you have any pregame or pre- at-bat superstitions?
"This is going to sound weird, but every time I put on my cleats, I have to swallow my spit and blink three times, every time no matter what.  When I was about six or seven, my friend wanted us to do something cool and we started doing that before every game, and I've continued that.  I probably have the weirdest superstition, but I do it every game."

What's your favorite meal?
"Meatloaf and homemade mac-n-cheese."

What is your favorite memory that you have had so far playing softball?
"It would have been during my senior year of high school, which was two months ago, where we won the state championship."

What's your favorite form of social media?
"Snap Chat."

What do you like to do in your spare time?
"If I don't have anything with softball or school, I definitely like to hang out with my brother and sister.  If I wasn't hanging out with my family, I would definitely be watching one of my siblings play."

Who have been the most influential people in your life?
"They would probably be my mom and my grandma.  As I've grown up, I've noticed how my mom raised me differently than other kids and I appreciate that a lot.  My grandma has always been there by my side the whole time as I was growing up.  She also knew the softball part of the game and she would help me out there too.  I would definitely say those two people."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.

—USA—