EDWARDSVILLE - Audrey De La Torre Cruz, a junior with the Edwardsville High softball team, has been one of the Tigers' most dependable and consistent players during the season, and on April 18, 2025, in a home game against Triad, she came through with a RBI single that helped Edwardsville to a 4-1 win over the Knights.
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De La Torre Cruz has been a model of consistency so far this season, hitting .391 with two homers and 20 RBIs in helping the Tigers jump out to a 13-4 record, among the best in the area. She also helps provide a calming presence on the team and her consistency has helped the Tigers a great deal so far this season.
In a postgame interview that followed Edwardsville's win, she felt good about how things went against Triad, and made the needed adjustments at the plate to come through with the win.
"The team really pushed through," De La Torre Cruz said. "We struggled a bit at the beginning, probably with the strike zone, trying to figure out where the ball was going. But then, we really followed up."
The RBI that helped the Tigers go on to win was important, and De La Torre Cruz feels getting runs in is more important than reaching base.
"I feel good," De La Torre Cruz said. "That's one thing I've really tried to help with, is RBIs, because being able to push those runs is more important than actually getting on."
The Tigers have rebounded greatly from a 2-2 showing in a tournament in Castle, Ind., and De La Torre Cruz feels that the experience of playing better teams in the tournament will help down the road.
"I think we've really learned from Indiana in playing harder teams," De La Torre Cruz said, "and like what we've taken that, and we're using it now to beat these teams around here."
As far as goals and aspirations for herself and the team, De La Torre Cruz is looking for more consistency among herself and her teammates.
"I hope to be more, or tend to be, more consistent," De La Torre Cruz said, "and just like being able to do things smoothly, and not have to second-guess."
She's hoping for more good things ahead for herself and her teammates, as well.
"I hope we just, like, find a spot, where we like, know what we're doing," De La Torre Cruz said, "and we have a groove where we just trust each other. If we know somebody's there, we know that they can back us up if we miss a ball."
