Lady Mavericks rally to best Del Rio Queens 9-5 in District Opener
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The thundering Eagle Pass C. C. Winn High School Lady Mavericks rallied for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to best the visiting Del Rio High School Queens 9-5 in District 29-5A softball action on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Student Activity Center Softball Field.
The Lady Mavericks standout pitching tandem of Brittany Perez and Ana Aguado combined to earn the District 29-5A opener win. Brittany Perez started the game and hurled five innings allowing seven hits, four strikeouts, and five runs while freshman Ana Aguado came in relief in the top of the sixth inning with no outs allowing three hits, three strike outs, and shut down the potent Queens’ batters in earning the victory.
Queens starting pitcher Ari Galvan allowed 11 hits, four strikeouts, and one walk in taking the loss.
In the top of the first inning, Lady Maverick standout pitcher Brittany Perez handled the Queens hitters three up and three down.
The Lady Mavericks jumped on Queens standout pitcher Ari Galvan for three big runs in the bottom half of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead as standout center fielder Alyssa Lopez singled to right field with one out and promptly stole second base, standout shortstop Ari Ruiz belted an RBI single to right center field scoring Lopez and then stole second base, standout third baseman Ronnie Valdez grounded out advancing Ruiz to third base, standout catcher Lorena Sanchez reached first base on an error scoring Ruiz, and standout left fielder Natalie Garcia slammed an RBI double to the left field fence scoring Sanchez for the third run.
The Del Rio Queens charged back in the top of the second inning plating one run on a Lady Mavericks error and an RBI double by third baseman Chris Saenz to narrow the score 3-1. Queens pitcher Ari Galvan shut down the Lady Mavericks in the bottom of the second inning.
Both pitchers, Brittany Perez and Ari Galvan, settled down in the third inning keeping each team off the scoreboard.
The Del Rio Queens scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game 3-3 each as standout center fielder Susie Gomez belted a 2 RBI double to right center field with two outs and then was caught stealing second by standout Lady Mavericks catcher Lorena Sanchez to end the Queens threat.
The Lady Mavericks bats were cooled off by Del Rio Queens pitcher Ari Galvan in both the fourth and fifth innings maintaining the game tied at 3-3.
The Queens plated two runs in the top of the sixth inning with no outs on a single by standout catcher Jackie Montejano followed by a towering home run over the dead center field fence by standout right fielder Rebekah Garcia on Lady Mavericks starting hurler Brittany Perez and giving the Queens a 5-3 lead, causing Lady Mavericks skipper Gus Varela to make a pitching change bringing in freshman ace pitcher Ana Aguado in relief of Perez. Aguado cooled off the hot Queens bats forcing two groundouts and Queens third baseman Chris Saenz was caught stealing second base by Lady Mavs catcher Lorena Sanchez after singling to get on base.
The never say die Lady Mavericks exploded for six runs on Queens pitcher Ari Galvan in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a commanding 9-5 lead as standout Lady Mavs catcher Lorena Sanchez led off with a single to left field and Lynet Gil entered as a pinch runner for Sanchez, the next Lady Mav batter struck out, standout right fielder Gisselle Cerda hit a hard ground ball to third base causing a throwing error to get on base and advancing pinch runner Lynet Gil to third base, the next Lady Mavs batter struck out for the second out, standout designated hitter Amberly Garza stroked an RBI single to right center field scoring Gil and advancing Cerda to third base and herself to second base on the throw in, standout second baseman Cassandra Flores slammed a 2 RBI single to the right center field fence scoring Cerda and Garza to take a 6-5 lead, Alyssa Lopez reached first base on an infield single advancing Flores to second base, Ari Ruiz stroked an RBI single up the middle scoring Flores and advancing Lopez to second base, Ronnie Valdez reached base on an error advancing Lopez to third base and Ruiz to second base, and Lorena Sanchez belted an RBI single to right field in her second at bat in the inning to score Lopez for the sixth run in the inning.
Lady Mavericks pitcher Ana Aguado struck out three Queens batters in the top of the seventh inning while allowing one single to earn the District 29-5A win for the home standing Lady Mavericks.
Leading the Lady Mavericks offensive attack were Alyssa Lopez who batted 2 for 3 with two runs scored, Cassandra Flores went 2 for 4 with one RBI and one stolen base, Ari Ruiz was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, two runs scored, and one stolen base, Lorena Sanchez batted 2 for 4 with one RBI and one run scored, Natalie Garcia went 1 for 4 with a double and one RBI, and Amberly Garza was 1 for 3 with one RBI and one run scoredl.
The Lady Mavericks improve to an overall season record of 9-4 and 1-0 in District 29-5A.
The Lady Mavericks next play in the Corpus Christi Independent School District Softball Tournament in Corpus Christi, Texas during Thursday through Saturday, February 27-March 1, 2014.
