Coyotes walk it off over Sanger
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
The Madera Coyotes softball team surround Kaylynn Powell after she had the game-winning hit in a 5-4 victory over the Sanger Apaches on Friday.
After allowing its first runs of the County/Metro Athletic Conference season, the Madera Coyotes softball team came back for a walk-off 5-4 victory over the Sanger Apaches at Zimmerman Field.
With the stands full of Madera National Little League softball players, the Madera Coyotes showed the players the value of perseverance and the ability to bounce back Friday night.
Madera pitcher Alexis Galvan allowed four runs in the first three innings, but closed out the game by retiring 13 of the last 14 batters to keep her team in the game. She struck out nine and walked one in the win.
“Alexis battled through the first three innings,” head coach Judy Shaubach said. “She battled tough and did a great job to keep her team in the game.”
Kaylynn Powell drove in the game-winning run and led the Coyotes with three hits. Leilani Moreno had two hits, including the seventh inning double that led to her game-winning run.
“Kaylynn has been struggling a bit at the plate, but made some adjustments tonight,” Shaubach said. “It was good to see her battle through and help us win. We got contributions from the entire line-up tonight.”
Eight of the nine batters in the Madera line-up had either a hit or scored a run.
The win gave head coach Judy Shaubach her 699th career victory. They play at Bullard on Tuesday and host San Joaquin Memorial on Friday at 4 p.m.
Sanger got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. Galvan walked just her 12th batter of the season. The next batter put down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first went into right field and the Apaches had runners at the corner.
After a stolen base, Galvan struck out the next batter. However, the next batter flew out to right and it was deep enough to drive in Sanger’s first run of the game.
The Apaches added two more runs in the second inning. After a lead-off single, Galvan struck out the next two batters. However, a hung change-up was driven into right-centerfield for an RBI double. Sanger came back with a pair of hits for a 3-0 lead before Galvan struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Sadie Gonzalez reached on a dropped third strike for the Coyotes in the bottom of the second. Leilani Moreno sacrificed her to second. Gonzalez came home on Powell’s single up the middle to cut the lead by one.
Sanger added another run on a hit batter, sacrifice and two singles for a 4-1 lead.
Madera bounced back in the third. With one out, Nevaeh Galvan singled up the middle. After a srtrikeout, Nastasha Griffin drew a walk. Jocelyn Mendez singled up the middle to drive on Galvan for a 4-2 Sanger lead.
The Coyotes put three runners on base in the fourth without a hit. Moreno walked, Meah Avila reached on an error and Perez drew a walk. However, Moreno was thrown out trying to score when Avila reached on an error.
The Coyotes broke through in the fifth. Brianah Hamilton led off with a single. Griffin drew another walk and Mendez was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Gonzalez tried to bunt her way on, but Hamilton was forced at the plate. Moreno singled up the middle to drive in Griffin and Powell reached on an infield single to drive in Mendez to tie the game.
Sanger struck out the next two batters to end the threat.
Meanwhile, Alexis Galvan fell into a rhythm, retiring the side in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning. She struck out a batter in each of the final five innings. She only allowed a a single in the seventh, but left the runner stranded with a strikeout.
Madera threatened with two on the sixth, but couldn’t find the go-ahead run.
The stage was set for the Coyotes in the bottom of the sixth. Moreno doubled over the centerfielder’s head to lead off the inning.
On a 2-2 pitch, Powell singled past a diving second baseman while Moreno raced around third to score the game-winning run for a 5-4 victory.
