Softball loses against Ayala 2-15

Varsity softball lost 2-15 to Ayala at home in a six-inning game in their first league game of the season on March 17.

Although softball games usually run for seven innings, the umpire called the game in the sixth inning because of the run rule— which ends the game early if a team is down by 10 or more runs after the fifth inning.

The Mustangs started the game with a 0-2 deficit after the first inning, as Ayala’s pitchers set the tone early. The Bulldogs continued this momentum and pressure, capitalizing off the unforced errors by the Mustangs who trailed 0-5 after the third inning.

“We held our ground, but we were just getting tired,” center-fielder senior Cynthia Phong said. “[We were down] because of base hits and walks.”

The fourth inning was followed by Ayala’s continuous offense, as they scored another three runs because of their strong performance at bat. Walnut answered in the bottom of the inning, getting on the board after a ground ball got past Ayala’s third baseman and brought in two runs, cutting the deficit to 2-8. However, the Bulldogs responded with another big inning, taking advantage of more Mustang errors to pull away and seal the 15-2 victory in six innings.

“In general, we could have done better. We had about seven errors this game, and we know that if we make that many errors, it’s impossible to win a game,” head coach Nicole Neeley said. Ω