The Lady Rattlers started the game strong getting their leadoff hitter on and scoring with their #2 hitter who brought in the first run with an RBI single in the top of the 1st inning.
With the Lady Eagles up to bat in the bottom of the first they had runners at 2nd and 3rd but were unable to come through with the big hit as Victoria Vasquez held the Eagle bats at bay with a variety of pitches available in her arsenal. Head Coach Yesenia Juarez was busy and very workmanlike calling pitches and flashing them to catcher Joshlynn Gonzalez. The Lady Eagles were only able to get two runners on base over the course of the next 4 innings, both walks by the Lady Rattlers’ pitcher.
In the top of the 6th the Rattlers came close to scoring with a double and two errors on a sacrifice bunt however Lady Eagle pitcher Krystal De la Cruz got a big strikeout to finish off the top of the 6th and get out of the inning much to the delight of the jam-packed crowd at the Student Activity Center.
After 6 innings of play the score was still 1-0 for the Rattlers when they stepped up to the plate at the top of the 7th. With a double and a two-out RBI single, the Rattlers were able to score once again before the third out was made by right fielder Vivian Ramirez who an exceptional play on a fly ball as the crowd went wild. As you can see from the picture, it was a magnificent play on a well hit ball.
It all came down to the bottom of the seventh down 2-0 that Vivian Ramirez made her presence known once again with a base hit, then Cat De La Cruz hit a hard grounder to third and almost beat it out moving Ramirez over to second. It was here that an absolute blast to dead center was hit which CF Madie Bumgardner managed to snag at the fence! An incredible play which could have tied the game at 2 all. Sammy Fuentes hit a pop up that came back to the catcher who mishandles it and is unable to make a play at first putting two runners on. Zairah Gonzalez came in to run and proceeded to steal second.
The Lady Eagles showed the grit and determination they showed when coming back from a one game to none deficit last week in their half of the seventh with these two singles then a passed ball allowed Ramirez to steal home and earn their first run of the game.
Nina Flores came into the box and worked Vasquez fouling off pitches and earning a base on balls and representing the winning run. Another passed ball allowed the runners to advance.
With two down and runners on 2nd and 3rd, Eagles’ shortstop and three-time MVP Sandra Selina Mendoza stepped up to the plate. With 2 strikes down Mendoza came through in the clutch once again standing tall in the box with confidence hit a line drive along the left field foul line bringing in the two runs the Eagles needed to win. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the umpires ruled it a foul ball and the runners had to return to base. Returning to bat Mendoza hit a fly ball that was caught by the Rattler left fielder ending the game 2-1 for the Rattlers.
The Lady Eagles were on the road to San Marcos for Game 2 of the Regional Semifinals on Friday when we caught up with Head Coach Coca Ruiz who said, "We played our hearts out, but we didn't hit the ball the way we know how. It's gonna take a team effort again to do what we did last week."
Results of the Regional Semifinals in San Marcos were not available at press time.
