Varsity girls softball beat Rowland 16-5 on Wednesday, March 19 at home bringing their Hacienda League record to 2-1.
Rowland batted first to start the game batting for two base hits before a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners to second and third. Rowland hit a long ball to left field for a double for the first score of the game. Pitcher senior Sela Halaholo struck out Rowland’s next batter. With runners on second and third, Halaholo walked a Rowland batter to load the bases but was helped out of the inning by her defense when third baseman senior Laila Aguayo fielded a ball and threw to first for the final out.
“Last year when we played them it was super intense so this year going into the game a bunch of the girls were extremely competitive,” senior shortstop Lauryn Reyes said.
On Walnut’s first pitch, leadoff hitter center fielder junior Teri Williams hit a driven ball to center field for a single. Williams then made a sliding steal to advance to second and was able to steal third after a throw from Rowland’s pitcher to the third baseman was fumbled. Outfielder freshman Audrina Padilla then hit a line drive to bring Wiliams in for Walnut’s first score of the game. The bottom of the first ended with two more runs for Walnut after consecutive base hits.
“I feel like the game went really good especially because we were down in the beginning,” Padilla said. “It’s good to have a win against some girls I used to play with.”
The Raiders came at the Mustangs with a number of hard hits in the top of the second and third to score two more runs before Halaholo again struck out a batter to end the inning. With the Mustangs up to bat, catcher senior Jada Diaz, hit a line drive to right field to bring in Padilla. Halaholo also made an impact in the third hitting a home run with two runners on. Walnut continued on a hot streak hitting around the lineup and scoring 6 more runs to end the inning 13-5 Walnut.
“I think Sela’s home run was able to pick up the team’s energy, it kind of woke us all up and then we were able to start a rally,” Reyes said. “It took a little bit of the pressure since we were so far ahead, which let us play more relaxed.”
Both Rowland and Walnut’s defenses made quick work of the fourth inning not allowing any runs. Walnut continued to hold Rowland’s offense in the fifth, before going on to score three more runs, ending the game early 16-5 Walnut.
