Coyotes get revenge victory over Clovis West
Wendy Alexander/the Madera tribune
Madera’s Alexis Galvan throws a pitch during Tuesday’s win over Clovis West. She has a 1.71 ERA over her last four games.
After struggling to get things going to open the season, the Madera Coyotes softball team has started to right the ship after a 3-2 victory over the Clovis West Golden Eagles at Zimmerman Field.
The Coyotes previously lost to the Golden Eagles by the same score on March 30. Since taking almost two weeks off from games and getting back to practice, the Coyotes have won three of their last four, including two revenge victories. Madera previously defeated Clovis East, 2-0, after a 9-8 loss on March 31.
The better play could be attributed to a few things. The first is a better chemistry within the team. The second is just getting more game experience. The third is the addition of Erika Perez, who missed five of the first six games, and adds a potent bat to the line. The fourth is the pitching performance of Alexis Galvan.
Galvan picked up her third victory of the season Tuesday. She tossed a complete game with eight strikeouts and allowed just three hits. In the last four games, Galvan has allowed just six runs in 24 2/3 innings with 25 strikeouts for a 1.71 ERA. Before, she allowed 35 runs, but 26 were earned, and recorded a 5.58 ERA in 32 2/3 innings. Granted, the Coyotes also battled tough Div. 1 teams like Clovis, Buchanan-Clovis and Merced.
Galvan showed life on her pitches with plenty of movement. She allowed just four baserunners in the first five innings and only one advanced to third. She allowed a two-run home run in the sixth, but calmly retired the next four batters to get the Coyotes to the victory.
Kailea Ricks and Perez each hit doubles with Perez driving in two runs. Lealani Ricks, Brianah Hamilton and Kaylee Patlan also had hits.
Madera took and early 2-0 lead and held it through the rest of the game. Lead-off hitter Lealani singled to start the rally. She stole second, but the next two batters were retired.
Perez hit a short fly ball to left center that fell. Ricks raced around the bases to score and Perez hustled in to second. Hamilton followed with another blooper, this one to right, to drive in Perez for the early 2-0 lead.
Two innings later, the Coyotes added an insurance run. Kailea Ricks doubled over the centerfielder’s head. Eliza Nunez sacrificed her to third. Perez grounded out to short, but Ricks came in to score for a 3-0 lead.
Unfortunately, the Coyotes couldn’t produce another hit the rest of the game. Clovis West pitcher Lauryn Young retired 11 of the next 12 batters to keep her team in the game.
In the sixth, the Clovis West lead-off batter hit an opposite field fly ball to left that went past the left fielder for a single and two-base error. Galvan settled down and got a strikeout and groundout.
However, Galvan left a ball over the middle of the plate that was blasted to center for a two-run home run to cut the lead to one.
Galvan settled down again and got a groundout to second to end the inning.
In the seventh, Galvan got a flyout and got a short pop out back. She ended the game with her eighth strikeout.
