Maranatha's Lauren Cruz slides into third and avoids Madison Worley's tag. (Photo by Anne Cypress)
(West Covina) – It appeared heading into the top of the seventh inning La Salle was on the verge of a great comeback scoring eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 11-8 lead over cross-town rival Maranatha.
In a game where no lead seemed safe, the Minutemen battled back with nine runs of its own to help end an 11-game losing streak with a thrilling 17-11 win.
Maranatha sent 14 batters to the plate in the nine-run seventh which saw Angie Amezquita single off Beverly Valerio with no outs to tie the game at 11. Lauren Cruz’s fielder’s choice grounder allowed Amezquita to go to third. Elysha McAllister promptly singled to score Amezquita to give the Minutemen a 12-11 lead.
The inning continued for Maranatha after Katelyn Thordarson reached on an error to score Cruz. After a walk to Katie Czuchaj that loaded the bases, Heather Wilson grounded to third to score McAllister. A single by Ally Brakebush scored both Czuchaj and Wilson. Brakebush scored on a grounder to second for the final run of the inning.
The Lancers who are a year removed from winning the CIF Division 6 Championship battled gamely through seven innings. After giving up two runs in the top of the sixth inning, La Salle began to rally in its final home game of the season.
Caroline Knop walked and the torrid hitting Toria Baltazar singled to give runners at the corners with no outs. In her final game as a Lancer, Sterling Shuster singled to score Knop. Pitcher Rachel Albright helped her cause with a single to score Baltazar cutting the lead to two with no outs.
With one out, Madison Worley walked to give runners first and third. Meghan Allen’s grounder scored allowed Albright to get the La Salle closer. Stephanie Ferri and Megan Reid each walked to load the bases. A couple of wild pitches allowed Worley to tie the score and Summer Taylor (running for Ferri) to scamper in with the ninth run and first lead for the Lancers.
Knop’s single scored Reid and Baltazar’s second hit in the inning scored Knop for the eighth run in the inning.
The Minutemen jumped on Albright early in the first with a home run by Amezquita to right centerfield. Cruz singled and McAllister walked to give Maranatha runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved the runners. Czuchaj’s grounder allowed McAllister to score for a 3-0 lead.
Down by four runs in the second, La Salle began its comeback. Karlie Buller and Ferri each walked. Knop bunted her way on to first to load the bases up. Baltazar hit a screamer shot to right field that was caught by Caroline Simmons that scored Buller. Shuster then singled in Taylor to cut the lead to two.
Cruz slides home for the second run of the game. (Photo by Anne Cypress)
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