The Hornets were seeking their second straight win after losing three out of four last week. While Santa Ana was looking to rebound from an opening series lost to Fullerton, after winning four straight games. Both teams went back-and-forth through the first four innings in what looked like was going to be a low-scoring affair.
Fullerton had other ideas, as they broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning. The rally started with pinch-hitter Brooklyn Evans. During her at-bat, Head Coach Crystal Aguirre told Evans to be patient and drive the ball to the opposite field. On a 2-2 count, Evans, on an inside pitch, smoked a ground ball up the middle past the shortstop. Kasey Nichols came in to pinch-run for Evans.
Hope Morales came up to the plate and on the first pitch, showed bunt and pulled back, while Evans stole second with no throw. Morales tried to advance the runner to third but popped up the bunt back to the pitcher. After a walk, Veronica Moore came up to the plate and smoked an inside pitch past the third baseman down the left field line for the go-ahead RBI single.
“I was thinking of slowing the game down. I knew what the pitcher was going to throw me since we have runners in scoring position. I was looking for that inside pitch and I was thinking about hitting the ball hard on the ground or a line drive just to score that run,” said Moore.
During the play, Dons third baseman Gracie Barrios was unable to field the throw from left fielder Kaitlin Murphy. Fullerton’s Bethany Morrison advanced to third and slid underneath the tag. Santa Ana shortstop Aidee Mendoza bobbled the ball as she was trying to tag out Morrison, while Moore advanced to second on the play.
After a groundout to third, pinch-hitter Toafa Pua lined the ball up the middle for a two-run RBI single. The bench was pumped up as they were yelling, clapping with their hands and stomping their feet. Pua was celebrating and posed after coming through. The fans were cheering and saying Pua’s name along the way.
“It was definitely a collective win. I think we maximized our participation. I think only two of our team members didn’t get into the game today. They found a way. They were gonna pinch-hit, pinch-run. We finally got the job done in the later innings,” said Aguirre.
A base hit to left put runners on the corners with two outs. Avery Wiersma scorched a ball off the third base bag and into left field for a two-run RBI double. The Hornets scored five runs in the inning to make it 7-2.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Fullerton was looking to mercy rule the Dons for a second consecutive game. There were two outs at the time, with a runner in scoring position. Moore came up again with another clutch hit. She tattooed a ball into right center field that went all the way to the wall for an RBI double.
Moore started flexing on the Fullerton dugout after recording her second hit of the game. The Hornet dugout kept cheering each other on, hoping to build on their momentum.
“I think as a team, continuing to keep it simple and enjoy each other’s presence. Continuing to have fun even in the pressure. It’s just a matter of staying present in the field and doing what we know we have to do,” said Moore.
Then Linsey Arostigue reached out for a ball on the outside part of the plate for a bloop RBI single to left, making it 9-2.
Aguirre discussed how the team had a better mental approach as the game went on. “I think our kids just needed to focus. They know their solid athletes and need to stop pressing. Mechanics are important, once they got a hold of that and started talking to one another, they were able to put some hits together,” said Aguirre.
They were unable to run rule the Dons after having runners in scoring position, as Juliana Ursino flew out to the second baseman.
Back in the top of the third inning, Fullerton made two errors which led to a Santa Ana run. With the game tied at 1-1 and one out, Arostigue had a ground ball hit right at her. She waited back on the ball, allowing it to handcuff her and couldn’t recover leading to a runner on base.
Then, with two outs and a runner on second, Arostigue was looking to redeem herself. Arostigue got another ground ball and this time, she came up with it cleanly, but her throw was off. Moore was unable to catch the ball as it hit off her glove and went to the backstop, allowing Santa Ana’s Julia Ariston to score for a 2-1 lead.
After the play, the whole infield came together and talked to each other around the pitcher’s circle trying to settle each other down. “We were saying take one pitch at a time, don’t stress. We will get it back,” said Grace Workman.
That would be the last run Santa Ana would score as Workman settled in and threw a complete game, giving up one earned run. After each inning, Workman would check in with pitching coach Diana Alcala in order to make adjustments. “We always meet after each inning just to talk about the strike zone from the umpires. As well as what pitches were working and hit the catcher’s mitt,” said Workman.
Workman was able to hit her location making crucial pitches. She worked out of jams in the last three innings. In the fifth inning, she got ahead in the count 1-2, but walked Murphy. Moore went up to the mound and told Workman, “You got this.” With two runners on and two outs, Workman was able to get out of the inning. She threw a low and inside pitch to Santa Ana’s Grace Potter, who grounded into a fielder’s choice as Fullerton’s Arostigue went the short way to third base.
In the sixth inning with one out, Fullerton’s Moore made a diving play at first. She kept it in front of her and tried to tag Santa Ana’s Mia Luna. Moore was unable to retain the ball in her glove after the tag. Co-Head Coach Marian Mendoza came out to argue the call and believed that Moore had possession of the ball all the way through.
The two umpires came together and stuck with the call on the field. The Dons Luna moved up to second on a wild pitch. Yasmine Garcia hit one into left field that looked like a hit, but Ursino was able to run it down. After a hit to left, Workman got a one-hopper groundout to second, leaving two runners stranded.
In the seventh, Workman left another runner in scoring position. With one out and a runner in scoring position, Workman got the last two batters with a fly-out to left and a ground out to third.
“I’m excited to see what’s going to happen. We had a rough start, there’s still a lot of season left. Hoping that continues to get us over that hump and for them just to start going,” said Aguirre.
