Coyotes get win before league starts
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Joslynn Davis tries to get on base with a drag bunt. However, she got on base enough to score three runs in the Coyotes’ 11-4 victory Friday over the Clovis East Timberwolves.
The Madera Coyotes softball team came back from an early three-run deficit to score eight unanswered runs in an 11-4 victory over the Clovis East Timberwolves.
The Coyotes banged out 13 hits in their second victory over Clovis East this season Friday at Zimmerman Field.
“We had a little slow start, offensively, for us today,” head coach Judy Shaubach said. “We pressed a little at the plate. We made some nice adjustments as the game went on.”
Eight of the nine Coyotes had hits in the win. They also had five extra base hits after getting just three hits in an 8-0 loss three days earlier to the Buchanan-Clovis Bears.
Lead-off batter Erika Perez led the Coyotes with three hits with two RBIs and a double. Her sister, Sofia, went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Joslynn Davis also had two hits with three runs scored. Tayah Hernandez, Valerie Ornelas and Mariah McMillon each hit doubles.
“If we put the ball on the ground and make the defense work, we’re successful,” Shaubach said. “If we start popping up and striking out, it’s going to be bad for our team. We need to manufacture runs and force teams to play fast and hard. That’s our brand of softball.”
Kaylee Patlan got the win in relief of starter Alexis Galvan. Patlan didn’t alow a run over the final four innings and struck out two batters. She allowed just two baserunners over the final four innings.
“Our starting pitcher was a little flat today,” Shaubach said. “The two of them pitched solid. We made some nice defensive plays. Balls were just finding ways to fall early in the game.”
Clovis East started the game with its first four batters reaching base. Two singles followed by a forceout at third put runners at first and second. The next batter tripled down the right field line to drive in two runs.
Galvan threw a wild pitch two batters later and Clovis East took a 3-0 lead.
It didn’t take the Coyotes too long to respond. Erika Perez led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle. Perez stole second, but the next two Coyotes were retired. Sofia Perez hit a ball over the center fielder’s head for a double, driving in her sister, Erika.
“What I liked is we didn’t panic,” Shaubach said. “We found a way to chip away. I told them let’s get one at a time.”
The Coyotes went to their ground game to take the lead. Davis led off the second with a single to center. After a strikeout, Lealani Ricks laid down a sacrifice bunt. Clovis East threw Ricks out at first, but Davis raced around second and went to third. Clovis East tried to throw out Davis at third, but the ball went high and Davis scored.
Neveah Montes reached base when the throw to first was dropped for an error. After falling behind 1-2 in the court, Erika Perez hit a high fly ball to deep center. The ball hit about a foot from the top of the fence for a triple and Montes raced around the bases to score the go-ahead run.
The Timberwolves added another run in the third. With one out, Clovis East hit back-to-back singles. After a flyout, a single up the middle drove in the go-ahead run for a 4-3 lead.
Madera took the lead for good in the fourth inning. Davis led off the inning by reaching on another dropped ball from the Clovis East first baseman. McMillon then lined a ball down the third base line for a double to put runners at second and third.
After a strikeout, Montes reached on an infield single to drive in Davis on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. Montes went to second on a throw to the plate.
Erika Perez flied out to center to drive in McMillon while Montes advanced to third. Hernandez followed with a double into right-center to drive in Montes for a 6-3 lead.
Eliza DeAnda singled and went to second on the play to put runners at second and third. Sofia Perez was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but the next batter grounded out to end the inning.
The Coyotes put the game away with a five-run sixth inning. With one out, Erika Perez singled up the middle. Hernandez put down a bunt and beat it out. DeAnda forced out Perez at third.
However, the next four batters reached base. Sofia Perez singled to left to drive in Hernandez. Ornelas hit a ball over the centerfielder’s head for a double to drive in both DeAnda and pinch-runner Ari Ochoa.
Davis singled up the middle and went to second on a throw to put runners at second and third.
Pinch-hitter Aislynn Jordan hit the first pitch she saw over the Clovis Est shortstop’s head to drive in Ornelas and Davis for the 11-3 lead.
Patlan closed out the game with a flyout to McMillon in left, a groundout to Montes at third and a strikeout.
Madera opened County/Metro Athletic Conference play on Tuesday, hosting Bullard-Fresno. They will honor its seniors on Friday against San Joaquin memorial-Fresno.
