Flores at home at Estancia

NEWPORT COAST — Cheyanne Flores doesn’t see herself as a pitcher.

Growing up with two successful sisters — Josie and Evelyn — who pitched at Estancia High this decade, Flores has an idea of what to do in the circle.

“They tell me when I throw a [strike and it’s called a ball] not to give the umpire a bad look,” Flores said. “Just make sure I keep a straight face.”

Flores hasn’t been able to stop smiling during her junior season. She’s happy to be playing for the school a couple of blocks away from home, instead of across town.

In the Eagles’ road game against Sage Hill School Friday, Flores even cracked a smile when she slipped during her delivery in the second inning.

Someone in the stands chuckled after Flores, bad ankle and all, giggled.

“I can’t believe I’m laughing,” she said aloud after lifting herself up, dusting herself off, and returning to the circle.

The Eagles’ fans understood why Flores laughed it off. Estancia played in a laugher, winning 17-2 in a nonleague game at Newport Ridge Park that was called in the fifth due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Flores improved to 8-2 and she feels at home after transferring out of Newport Harbor.

Against the winless Lightning, the right-hander struck out seven, allowed two hits and one earned run.

“I like it,” Flores said of being at Estancia (10-3), which is ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Division V poll. “It’s just easier on everything and Estancia is a really, really fun school.”

Going to TeWinkle Intermediate School, the feeder school to Estancia, Coach Judd Fryslie said it wasn’t so fun for Flores.

With Flores as their ace, the Eagles are looking forward to the Orange Coast League opener against rival Costa Mesa on Tuesday.

At times, Flores throws like her two sisters. Getting Flores to play, let alone pitch this season after playing third base at Newport Harbor last season, wasn’t so easy.

“She had to get a hardship appeal,” said Fryslie, referring to Flores gaining eligibility from the CIF Southern Section to play this season, instead of having to sit out a year on varsity for transferring. “The whole thing started in junior high, where she was a victim of some … group of girls … that acted like a gang. They eventually tormented her until the school decided to transfer her over to the other side of town.

“It just got to the point where she wanted to go back. Her dad [Lou, an assistant coach] went to Estancia. Her sisters went to Estancia. She just wanted to go back home.”

Home is where two sisters are helping Flores throw strikes and turn into a frontline pitcher.

Nonleague

Estancia 17, Sage Hill 2

SCORE BY INNINGS

Hembarsky and Hoeschen ; Flores and Marlborough, Stratton (5). W – Flores, 8-2. L – Hembarsky. 2B – Marlborough (E), Stratton (E), Ulrich (E). 3B – Stratton (E), Hoeschen (SH).

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].