Coyotes ride fourth inning to win
Courtesy of Christopher Cross
Madera’s Jocelyn Mendez rises up after taking third while Madera South’s Gigi Rodriguez awaits the throw during the fourth inning of Tuesday’s game. Mendez eventually scored during a nine-run fourth inning of a 13-0 victory.
The Madera Coyotes girls softball team has been on a tear in the 2021 County/Metro Athletic Conference season by winning its first nine games.
After defeating next-door rivals Madera South 13-0 at Madera South, the Coyotes clinched the CMAC championship with one game left to play. Tuesday’s victory pushed Madera to 9-0 in the league as well as making it 14 wins in their last 15 games. Nine runs in the fifth inning pushed the game out of reach for Madera.
Despite a strong effort from the Stallions, who find themselves sixth in the CMAC, the Coyotes poured it on utilizing aggressiveness on the base paths and timely hits to set themselves up for the league finale against Madera South before playoffs begin next week.
Despite scoring 13 runs on the day in 100-degree heat, the pitching stole the show for the Coyotes. Alexis Galvan finished the game with 10 strikeouts and allowed only three hits. Galvan pounded the strike zone and kept the Stallions off balance.
Madera South put in strong plate appearances, but Galvan worked the count batter after batter to take home the victory.
Elena Garcia and Gigi Rodriguez combined for all three hits for the Stallions. Taking the score out of the game, the Stallions played good defense and nearly had chances to score, but once again, the arm talent of Galvan stymied Stallion hitters.
For Madera, a team effort focused on small ball and aggressive base running proved to be the key to success. For head coach Judy Shaubach and her girls, any chance they had to advance on the bases was expected to be taken and it showed.
Madera opened the game with intent.
Erika Perez reached on an error to open the game before Lealani Ricks singled to put two Coyotes on within the first two batters.
Brianah Hamilton singled home Ricks and Perez, giving Madera an early 2-0 lead.
The Coyotes took the mound and had a rocky start as Galvan allowed hits to Garcia and Rodriguez, but quickly regained her form with a strikeout with two runners on base to end the inning.
Madera continued in the second inning after Sarah Walter singled to open the inning. But despite two quick outs, Kailea Ricks stepped up and singled home Walter to make it 3-0.
Both the Stallions and Coyotes battled back and forth only three runs apart until the Coyotes broke the game open in the fifth inning.
A single by Walter in the top of the fourth began a long line of Coyote hitters that crossed the plate. Perez followed Walter with a successful bunt attempt. Lealani singled to load the bases.
After a fly outout, Hamilton singled home a run. Eliza Nunez walked in a run, Arissa Arias singled, Kaylee Patlan followed with a walk, Galvan singled and Walter singled home a run as Madera put nine runs on the board.
Walter had two hits and scord two runs in the inning. Ricks also had two hits in the fourth inning.
The Coyotes like a carousel, went round and round the basepaths until the crowd blinked and Madera went from three runs on the scoreboard to 12.
Madera’s aggressiveness paid off as they later added its 13th run and final run in the fifth inning on a Hamitlon single and a Nevaeh Galvan single.
