Daily Pilot High School Athlete of the Week:

Upon transferring to Estancia High from Newport Harbor after two years away from her childhood friends, Cheyanne Flores said she became herself again.

But when softball season rolled around in the spring, Flores learned she would need to also rediscover a part of her game she thought she had long since left behind.

“It was a mutual decision,” Flores said of stepping into the circle as the Eagles’ primary pitcher. “I volunteered and [the coaches] also wanted me to pitch. I was one of the only girls who had ever pitched before. It was a pretty easy decision.”

But taking on the responsibility that resides in the center of the diamond was anything but easy, Flores discovered.

“There as a lot of pressure and it was hard,” said Flores, a third baseman who also discovered that her three seasons of not having pitched had led to some rather formidable rust.

“I decided I needed to take pitching lessons and that’s what I did,” Flores said.

Those lessons began late last season and have continued ever since.

The benefits have been obvious.

Flores threw three straight shutouts last week. She will enter Orange Coast League play with a 1.88 earned-run average with 47 strikeouts in 52 innings. She is 5-4.

Estancia Coach Judd Fryslie said her extra pitching instruction resulted in improved control.

But Flores also said that her ability to consistently outduel hitters also has something to do with her expanded repertoire of pitches.

“I worked on every one of my pitches to gain speed and control,” Flores said. “I changed my grip on a couple pitches and I learned how to throw a screwball. I didn’t have a screwball last year. I also learned an off-speed curve that is one of my main pitches right now.”

Flores said the extra work she put in and the subsequent results have helped her gain confidence in the circle.

“I definitely used to stress myself out a lot,” she said. “I put a lot of stress on my back and it used to be tough for me to relax. But I feel comfortable now.”

Fryslie said he and the rest of the team are also confident with Flores in the circle. And Flores’ contribution doesn’t stop there.

Batting third in the order, she has a .292 average. Her two home runs lead the team and she has five runs batted in and seven runs.

“She has really hit in the clutch and she hasn’t struck out yet,” Fryslie said.

Flores’ positive effect on her teammates, however, often has nothing to do with her play on the field.

“She’s a great teammate,” Fryslie said. “She always brings the team up and she always looks out for her teammates. She definitely solves more problems than she’ll ever cause.”

Flores has honed her game with South Huntington Beach-based Krew club program, for which she plays third base and, now, also pitches.

She plans to play third base at a community college and has already being wooed by Orange Coast College Coach Ruby Rojas.

But for now, she is focused on helping the Eagles contend for a league title.

“I’m so excited about our team, I don’t want the season to end,” she said. “The chemistry on this team is really good and I think we’re going to put up a fight to win league.”