By: Derryl Trujillo —
Riverside (Poly HS) – Senior day…it’s a time to celebrate but once that’s done there is a job to do on the field. That was the mood in Riverside Monday, April 25, as Heritage and Poly met for an Ivy League softball title.
Heritage got three seventh inning runs against Poly starter Bri Garcia in their first meeting. In the top of the first on Monday they added another three runs for six in their last two innings of offense against her.
However, that was all the offense they were able to muster. Over the last six innings Garcia held Heritage to one hit and six strikeouts while Poly’s offense rallied for four unanswered runs en route to a 4-3 victory.
Sydney Farmer reached on an error, scoring Heritage’s first run. Then with two outs Adriana Abrantes (triple down the right field line) and Kaylee Fraund (single) had consecutive RBI hits before Garcia got a strikeout to escape.
Heritage coach Raul Olivas said “She (Garcia) was around the plate early and then our pitch selection got worse as the game went on. They got to the inside pitch, and we tried to move outside but just could not get bites. We’ll bounce back on Wednesday and be ready for the playoffs.”
Garcia remarked “I was a bit too comfortable in the first inning because we beat them the last time and after the first, I really focused on spins and energy. We know how to come together even when we’re struggling and that’s the mark of a good team.”
Poly had an opportunity in the bottom of the first as Maddy Cortez and Maddie Webb had back-to-back singles with one out, but Patriots starter Tara Skinner worked out of trouble.
The Bears scored two runs in the third as Corina James hit a low line drive to the wall for a leadoff double and Webb was HBP to give Poly runners on first and second with one out. Parada and Emilie Castillo had back-to-back RBI singles to make it a one run game with Heritage ahead 3-2.
Poly left other opportunities on the table in the fourth and fifth before taking a lead in the sixth. Jaimes led off with a standup double to left center field and Cortez used a well-placed bunt to reach base giving the Bears first and third with no outs. Parada tied the game with a one out RBI sac fly and Castillo had the go-ahead RBI single.
Bears coach Robert Sakaguchi added “We’ve been leaving a lot of runners on base lately, so it was nice to see the offense come through after falling behind early. I knew Bri would give us a chance to win after they got to her early and that’s what she did. We are not in this spot however without a gutsy pitching performance from Miranda De Nava in that second Valley View game and they’ve been playing playoff softball since that opening league loss. They’re ready for it.”
WP: Garcia, Bri – CG, 3 Runs, 4 Hits, 7 K’s, 0 BB’s
LP: Skinner, Tara – 5.2 IP, 4 Runs, 11 Hits, 4 K’s, 3 BB’s
Leading Hitters: Cortez (P) 3-4 w/a run scored, Castillo (P) 2-4 w/an RBI, Jaimes (P) 3-4 w 2 runs scored, Olivas (H) 2-3
Note: Poly has won all three titles since the Ivy League came under the Raincross Conference banner.
Derryl Trujillo can be reached at socaltrekkie@gmail.com.
