Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – CR’s Samantha Caughie connects for a base hit during a recent game.

By Ray Hamill — College of the Redwoods softball head coach Maggie White admits her players didn’t know what to think when they heard the news on Thursday that their season has been suspended.

White got the news from the CR administration at 11:30 a.m. and had just 10 minutes to digest it all before meeting with her players for weight class.

“It’s just emotional, it’s hard to deal with,” White said. “They players don’t know what to think either. It’s never happened before. It’s unprecedented.”

All college spring sports seasons were put on ice this week, suspended indefinitely because of concerns over COVID-19, with little hope of resuming.

“It’s so beyond our control,” White said. “I’m sad. I’m disappointed, but I can’t really be mad.”

However, in what has been a very fluid and fast-moving situation, there still is some uncertainty surrounding what will happen.

There are six weeks remaining in the community college softball season, and according to the coach it would impossible to schedule the number of games remaining in just three weeks, even if they were somehow cleared to play in three weeks.

The news on Friday that the NCAA will offer all its spring sports student athletes an extra year of eligibility also would suggest this season is not coming back.

“That was one of the first questions the players asked, are we going to practice?” White said.

The community college players also have yet to receive the news that they will get an extra year of eligibility, although White is inclined to believe they will.

“I would be very surprised if it doesn’t happen, but I’m not going to promise anything to my players,” the long-time head coach said.

It’s a decision that will be made by the California Community College Athletic Association, in conjunction with the NCAA, ensuring the latter will honor that extra year of eligibility.

Even if they do receive an extra year of eligibility, it’s likely sophomore Amy Reyes has played her last games at CR.

Reyes has been sensational for the Corsairs this year but is set to graduate this summer.

“I don’t see how we can entice her to stay another year,” White said. “So that part is hard.”

White expects that sophomore pitcher Lindsey Scott, who was also enjoying a big season, will return if she is granted an extra year.