The Hornets offense shines in the sixth inning on the road winning by a final of 8-3 to take a 1-0 series lead over the Falcons in the CCCAA SoCal Super Regionals Friday afternoon.
The scoring for the game opened up in the bottom half of the second inning where the Falcons scored off a sacrifice fly from sophomore outfielder Maddy Guillen.
The Hornets could have folded under pressure after the offense was seemingly off to a slow start, but that was not the case in today’s game. In the top of the third inning, Hornets freshman second baseman Jordan Elias ripped an RBI double that tied up the ballgame on a very close play at home that saw the Hornets freshman shortstop Cassidy Hornung score the tying run.
“I saw the ball go out in the outfield and I was already shooting two. I thought the coach was sending me and I was running my heart out, then I saw her throw the stop sign up. I was like ‘oh no!’ but I passed it and dove home,” Hornung said.
Soon after sophomore first baseman Meah Almaraz roped an RBI single to propel the Hornets forward.
Things were tight on both sides entering the top of the sixth inning where the game stood at 2-1 in the Hornets favor just narrowly clinging onto the lead.
Hornets freshman center fielder Alyssa Garcia led off in the inning and forced a walk soon after another Hornet joined the bases via an infield error committed by the Falcons. With two runners on, the Hornets struck for the first time since the second inning on an RBI single from sophomore left fielder Alyssa Caulford to make it 3-1.
The Hornets had unfinished business with this rally as Hornung ripped an RBI single to left with a second run being scored thanks to yet another error committed by the Falcons.
“I was just thinking in my head one pitch at a time. Slow my mind down and read the defense. I knew I was going to light her up and I had that mindset going into the at-bat and I did,” Hornung said. Quite the confidence from the Hornets shortstop.
After another run scored for the Hornets, sophomore designated hitter Olivia Nunez stepped up to the plate and blasted a two run RBI double that nearly went over the fence for a three run shot. Regardless, the Hornets were satisfied with the outcome of the at-bat, taking a commanding 8-1 lead entering the bottom half of the inning.
“In this at-bat I was looking for my pitch. I was looking to make a productive at-bat so that I could hit as hard as I can for my team,” Nunez said.
The Falcons did not go down quietly, scoring two runs in the bottom half of the inning by way of an RBI double off the bat of sophomore shortstop Miranda Diaz.
Hornets freshman pitcher Allyson Fuentes finished the job off the next inning securing her 22nd win of the year. Fuentes went seven innings, striking out two, walking just one batter, while allowing three earned runs.
“In the fifth inning I could see she was getting a little tired. Her curveball was missing a little bit. The girls stood behind her 100 percent, they played well behind her. So she was good,” Co-Head Coach Speedy Mendoza said.
On the other side of the spectrum the Falcons trotted out sophomore Samantha Islas (L,18-7) and freshman pitcher Reanna Carranza. Islas went just four innings, striking just one batter, and walking one batter, while giving up just two earned runs on four hits. Carranza went the rest of the way pitching three innings, walking two batters, while giving up six runs, none of which were earned on five hits.
The Hornets seemed to be on their A-game today picking themselves up after falling behind early. The Hornets capitalized whenever the Falcons committed one of their four errors on the day.
“It was awesome. Our girls have been in playoff mode lately. We have actually just been getting better. I feel like they are more connected, our hitting has been better these last two weekends,” Mendoza said.
The Hornets will now play game two of the series at Cerritos College Saturday, May 13 at 12 p.m. If the Hornets lose then there will be a winner take all game three around 2:30 p.m. Mendoza knows the adjustments the Hornets will need to make to knock the Falcons out.
“I was talking to the team about this. We need to be able to drop sneaky bunts, a squeeze, a sacrifice bunt. We didn’t really do a lot of short game today so tomorrow I think it’s going to be a really big difference. I feel like if we can get the short game dialed in we can clinch it out in the first game tomorrow,” Mendoza said.
