In Pursuit Of The Perfect Swing
By Kevin Hampton
Full of intensity and professionalism, OSU’s Miranda has rubbed off on her teammates
There are two sides to Cambria Miranda.
One is seen at every
She sprints around the bases after a home run and to the outfield between innings, often under a ball thrown high and long by a teammate.
She is a perfectionist at the plate. As a result, Miranda is hitting .327 with 14 home runs and 10 doubles.
At a recent practice, Miranda took swings with her left hand holding the base of the bat and her right hanging to the side. The drill is part of her pursuit of a perfect swing.
“Hitters always have ups and downs, and I guess it’s up right now,” Miranda said. “I’m just trying to keep doing everything the same, try not to change anything, and stay relaxed and try not to get too anxious up to bat. I feel a lot more confident up to bat, and I feel I can hit any pitcher.”
Miranda developed her hitting ability with the help of her father, Lee, and had the benefit of a backyard batting cage.
She has little tolerance for poor results at the plate. The Beavers know to give her a minute or so to cool down and think about what went wrong.
“If she remotely has any kind of a bad at-bat she’ll come in and she’s focused and thinking about what she can do to have a better at-bat next time,” Sherina Galvan said. “If she hits a ground ball she’s down on herself.”
Miranda has added consistency as well and has gone into one short slump since coming to OSU.
“The fact that she’s been hitting the ball for a little more power recently is a component of seeing the ball well and getting good pitches,” Walker said. “You can’t control how many home runs you have, the only thing you can control is the quality of your swing.”
Miranda’s work ethic and high level of effort into all aspects of the sport has energized the Beavers.
They might not all sprint to and from the field, but they get caught up in Miranda’s excitement look to her when they need a boost.
“Anytime you’re in a team environment and you’re showing your effort and commitment and your focus, that’s always contagious,”
When Miranda walks off the field, she leaves the intensity behind.
Miranda enjoys joking around and is fun-loving. She has an infectious laugh, one that often echoes throughout airport terminals when the Beavers are on road trips.
“She’s a totally different person on and off the field,” Galvan said. “Off the field she is so silly, so dorky, always laughing. She has a particular laugh that we always know.”
Miranda grew up in
She remembers going to her first game wearing a bright pink Dodgers cap. She never stopped going. Miranda has met some of the players, including her favorite, Dave Roberts.
“My family’s always been Dodgers fans, and I always went to the games when I was little. I just grew up loving them and always watched the games,” Miranda said. “I’m a huge fan now, and I bleed blue. During the summer I still go with friends and my parents and brother.”
She also enjoys scrapbooking and includes clippings and photos from OSU softball and her time at the Dodgers games.
Miranda decided to come to OSU because she liked the area and the team. She is majoring in exercise and sports science and is interested in physical therapy, but that’s not necessarily the career path she would choose to take.
“I would love to work for the Dodgers someday,” she said.
