Coyotes softball gets a split on the coast
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Neveah Montes slides safely into second base on a steal attempt during a 7-1 victory Saturday over Arroyo Grande.
TEMPLETON/ARROYO GRANDE — The Coyotes spent the weekend away from the Central Valley, but found itself in the same weather conditions on the Central California coast and earned a split with the Templeton and Arroyo Grande Eagles.
The Coyotes suffered an 8-6 loss on a cold Friday night to the Templeton Eagles. The Coyotes battled against Texas A&M recruit Ashley Dougherty to put her on edge until the Eagles walked their way to the win.
Under clear and sunny skies Saturday morning, the Coyotes let out some frustration by scoring a run in the first five innings during a 7-1 victory over the Arroyo Grande Eagles behind a two-hitter from freshman Alexis Galvan.
“We learned a lot about ourselves this weekend,” head coach Judy Shaubach said. “However, we still need to learn that with our speed, it’s going to take good plays to beat us. We need to learn how to exploit our speed in games. Defensively, we just have to quit walking people.”
Galvan walked eight batters in 10 2/3 innings and first game loser Felicity Rocha walked two batters and allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings.
Erika Perez led the Coyotes with four hits over the weekend. Tayah Hernandez also banged out two hits against Dougherty. Against Arroyo Grande, Eliza DeAnda and Neveah Montes had two hits each while DeAnda and Hernandez drove in two runs and Valerie Ornelas and Montes scored two runs each.
Templeton jumped out to the early lead with a home run from Dougherty in the first inning. Galvan settled down and got out of the inning despite allowing two more baserunners.
Madera went to its small ball game to push over two runs in the second inning. With one out, DeAnda reached on a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error. Joslynn Davis followed with another bunt single. She advanced to second, but DeAnda held up.
Sofia Perez followed with a line drive single down the right field line to drive in DeAnda and Davis to take a 2-1 lead.
Madera added another run in the third after Erika Perez reached on a one-out slap single. She stole second and scored when Hernandez reached on a bunt single and the throw went into right field.
The Eagles took the lead in the fourth with a rally started on a walk to the No. 9 batter. Another walk and a double drove in two runs. After an intentional walk to Dougherty, Galvan got a groundout to third, but a two-out single up the middle drove in the third run of the inning for a 5-3 Templeton.
Madera reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth. Lealani Ricks reached on an error on a bunt and advanced to third on Perez’s bunt single.
However, Ricks was called out at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch. Hernandez blooped a ball to shallow centerfield for a hustle double as Perez scored. Ornelas hit a ball over the centerfielder’s head for another double to drive in Hernandez.
With DeAnda at the plate, Ornelas stole third and scored with the throw went into left field for a 6-5 lead.
However, the Eagles broke through in the sixth. A double followed by an intential walk put runners at second and third. A fielder’s choice and another double drove in two runs. A single to left drove in the third run of the inning for an 8-6 lead.
Dougherty closed out the game by retiring the last six Coyotes in order.
Although Galvan was dominant against Arroyo Grande, she still allowed too many baserunners. She had just one inning where she retired the side in order and allowed her third home run of the season.
However, she struck out six to pick up her second win of the season. She allowed just one baserunner pass third base, not including a fourth-inning home run.
Madera produced a run in the first inning with two outs. Ornelas singled and advanced to second on an error. She went to third on a wild pitch and scored on DeAnda’s single up the middle.
Madera scored on another two-out rally in the second. Montes reached on a bunt single, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. McMillon put down another bunt and reached on an error while Montes scored.
Perez led off the third with a double down the left field line. Two batters later, DeAnda singled over the head of the second baseman to drive in Perez.
Montes started a one-out rally in the fourth with a slap single. She went to second on a wild pitch and to third on a passed ball. Two batters later, Ricks reached on an infield single to drive in Montes for a 4-0 lead.
Ornelas led off the fifth with a walk. DeAnza sacrificed Ornelas to second and she went to third on an error. Hernandez reached on an error and Ornelas scored for a 5-0 lead.
After a scoreless sixth, Madera made up for it with two in the seventh. Perez led off the inning with an infield single. Ornelas reached on a fielder’s choice while Perez advanced to second on an error.
Two batters later, Hernandez put down a bunt, but the first baseman dropped the ball and Perez scored. Davis followed by reaching on an error off her bunt to drive in Ornelas for the 7-1 victory.
Madera plays in the Redwood Tournament from Thursday through Saturday at Mt. Whitney and Redwood high schools in Visalia.
