Former CSU softball teammates leading opposing high school teams

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - West Ashley and Wando High School softball face off Friday night in their final regular season game of the year.

The teams are lead by best friends Amanda Matsumoto and Brittany McPherson, whose friendship started when they came to Charleston Southern to play softball.

“We were actually assigned freshman year roommates,” Matsumoto said. “We did not know each other going into it at all.”

The two ended up living together three out of their four years at CSU. And now that they’re back working in Charleston, they are roommates again.

Matsumoto and McPherson were on the Charleston Southern softball team that won the Big South Championship in 2014.

Now, they’re using what they have learned from each other, to help their Lowcountry high school teams.

“I mostly played infield, whereas she played outfield,” McPherson said. “She was a slapper. I was a right handed hitter, you know, more of swinging for power. So, we definitely have two different aspects. And yes, I was slower than her. I am not ashamed to admit it.”

McPherson has been with the Wando High School softball team for five years and is in her fourth year as the Warriors head coach.

Matsumoto is in her first season with the Wildcats.

“I don’t think I would’ve been able to make it through this season without her,” Matsumoto said. “She has been a huge encourager and supporter.”

Matsumoto added that she’s learned from her friends experience coaching in the Charleston area.

“She was kind of in the position [I’m in] a couple years back,” Matsumoto said. “She just took over her program and so she’s had to lay a foundation and a culture and so kind of giving her my vision for this program and, you know, getting some ideas of how to go about that and instilling it here has been really helpful.”

They play each other for the first time on Friday night, where they’ll be coaching from opposite dugouts.

“I think there will definitely be moments, knowing us, that we’ll definitely joke around with each other,” Matsumoto said. “But, we’re definitely gonna try and keep it professional and work our tails off to get our team a win.”

McPherson says she’s excited to see her friend coaching in action for the first time.

“We’re also both very hard on our girls pushing them to just be better athletes in general,” McPherson said. “So, I do think it’s gonna be a mix of both. We’ll probably joke with each other and all that as well as be serious with our girls and have fun with it. That’s the biggest thing is have fun with it.”

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