By Derryl Trujillo
(Valley News Contributing Writer)
— LAKE ELSINORE – After rallying for six runs in the seventh inning this past Tuesday afternoon, to win 9-5 at Notre Dame Sherman Oaks (No. 5), the Temescal Canyon softball team was more than familiar with how to rally in a CIF-SS playoff softball game.
Two days later, the Lady Titans found themselves in a 3-0 hole against Heritage with Patriots starter Cassidy Shaw holding them to one hit through five innings. Then the floodgates opened and Temescal Canyon scored six of the game’s final eight runs, culminating in Hayley Garcia’s RBI walk off single to prevail 6-5 in nine innings. They’ve earned a date with Bonita (No. 1) in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 semifinals at home.

Titans coach Christina Goldberg remarked about her ladies, “This team is so resilient and I’m so very proud of them. We were a little nervous those first couple times through the order and once we started shortening things up we began to find some success. They’ve trusted the process since I got here and it’s starting to show. That’s a quality team over there, we knew we’d be in for a fight, and that’s what we got.”
A hit batsman and a walk gave Heritage two on with one out in the first when Kaylee Fraund plated an RBI single. A stellar throw from the outfield cut down another run as Marissa Sanchez limited damage to a lone run in each of the first two innings with the Patriots getting a second run on a throwing error in the second. Sydney Farmer’s eighth homer of the year, which flew off the left field scoreboard, made it 3-0 Patriots after five.
Heritage coach Raul Olivas stated, “We knew they were a comeback team and that three wasn’t going to be enough (they left the bases loaded in the third with no outs). I think everyone knows who Heritage softball is now. We’re in a good spot losing just four seniors and we’ll be back stronger next year.”
Temescal Canyon got all three runs back in the sixth as a leadoff infield single and walk came around to score when Garcia reached on an error to make it a 3-2 Heritage lead. Jenna Peters tied the game with an RBI sac fly before Shaw got a strikeout to escape trouble.
In the eighth inning, Abbegail Barron’s routine flyball to left field was misplayed, allowing Adriana Abrantes (who reached on a well-placed bunt single) to score and make it a 4-3 lead for the Lady Patriots. Makayla Ansell’s RBI double made it 5-3 Heritage when Abrantes just beat a tag at home.

Peters had a two RBI double with no outs to tie the game in the eighth inning before Shaw got three straight outs to escape. Moving to the Temescal Canyon ninth Sanchez and Mary Cabrera had back-to-back two out singles, which set the stage for Garcia’s walk off single.
Garcia said “We have heart, we stick together as a group, and we fight until the end. That’s what makes this group so special. I was seeing Shaw well today, so I knew I had to make contact and keep the ball on the ground and that’s what I did.”
WP: Sanchez, Marissa: CG, 5 runs, 10 hits, 1 K, 1 BB
LP: Shaw, Cassidy: CG, 6 runs, 10 hits, 5 K’s, 0 BB
Leading Hitters:
Cabrera (TC) 2-4 and a run scored, Garcia (TC) 2-5 w/ two runs scored and an RBI, Farmer (H) 2-5 with an RBI and run scored, Abrantes (H) 2-4 w/ two runs scored,
Derryl Trujillo can be reached by email at socaltrekkie@gmail.com.