Coyotes get first win after tourney split
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune Madera freshman Alexis Galvan throws a pitch during a two-hitter against Atascadero. She made one mistake — a home run — in a 1-0 loss Tuesday.
The Madera Coyotes softball team couldn’t make the adjustments in the first game of the rescheduled Central Tournament, but made enough in the second game for its first victory of the season.
After dropping a 3-2 decision to Clovis West two weeks ago, the Coyotes dropped a 1-0 decision to Atascadero at Clovis East in the rescheduled Central Tournament because of rain over last weekend. Madera came back in the nightcap to defeat host Clovis East, 8-3.
Madera played away from the Central Valley over the weekend with a night game at Atascadero on Friday and a morning game at Arroyo Grande on Saturday.
In the first three games of the season, the Coyotes have outhit their opponents.
Against Atascadero, pitcher Baily Doherty did just enough to shut out the Coyotes. She struck out 11 batters, walked one and allowed four hits.
Madera pitcher Alexis Galvan only made one mistake in the complete game and it gave her a loss. She allowed just two hits and struck out seven.
With one out in the second, Galvan left a pitch over the plate and Atascadero shortstop Bailee Crawford lined it over the left-centerfield fence for the only run of the game.
Other than that hiccup, Galvan didn’t allow a runner on base through the first four innings — sans the home run.
She allowed runners at first and third in the fifth with one out, but got a popout and a strikeout to end the inning. Atascadero got a runner to third with two outs in the seventh, but Galvan got a groundout to end the inning and keep the Coyotes in the game.
Meanwhile, Madera put runners on base in five of the seven innings and left a runner in scoring position three times with another getting thrown out at the plate.
Tayah Hernandez singed with two outs in the first and stole second, but a strikeout ended the threat. In the third, Mariah McMillon reached on a one-out bunt single. She stole second, but was stranded by a groundout.
In the fourth, Valerie Ornelas tripled to right-center. She almost got tagged out at third while trying to advance on an overthrow, but barely got back to third. Eliza DeAnza put down a squeeze bunt, but Ornelas was thrown out at the plate.
In the sixth, Erika Perez singled and stole second with one out, but a strikeout and flyout ended the inning and Madera’s last chance.
Madera scored five runs in the second inning to take control of an 8-3 win against Clovis East. Madera trailed early in the game when starting pitcher Kaylee Patlan couldn’t get out of the first inning. She walked four batters and allowed a two-run single. She re-walked the bases loaded before a pitching change was made.
Felicity Rocha came in and got a flyout to left field to end the threat.
Madera came back to take the lead in the top of the second. With one out, Sofia Perez singled to right. Aislynn Jordan drew a walk to put runners at first and second.
After a strikeout, Lealani Ricks drew a walk to load the bases. Erika Perez followed with another walk to drive in her sister. Tayah Hernandez drove in pinch-runner Sarah Walters and Ricks for the go-ahead run.
Ornelas followed with a single to left to drive in Perez and Hernandez, who advanced to second on her single, for a 5-2 lead.
While the Madera offense was doing work, Rocha had her best outing of the year.
She tossed 3 1/3 innings and allowed three hits and an unearned run with a strikeout.
Madera added to its lead in the fourth. With one out, Hernandez was hit by a pitch and came around to score on an Ornelas triple. Ornelas’ drive hit the top of the fence and settled for a triple. DeAnza then hit a scorcher down the third base line, but the ball struck Ornelas for an out.
Clovis East added an unearned run in the fourth, although it looked like the Coyotes made the initial play, but the umpired ruled otherwise.
With two on and two outs, Clovis East hit a slow grounder to first. Sofia picked it up and shoveled to second baseman DeAnda covering the bag. DeAnda hit the bag before the runner, but the base umpire ruled DeAnza missed.
However, Madera answered back in the fifth. With one out, McMillon singled and went to third on Ricks’ bunt single. After a flyout, Hernandez singled to right to drive in Ricks and McMillon for the 8-3 lead before time was called in the bottom of the fifth.
