Juniors Zella Cassidy and Brooklyn Hedricks came through with big extra-inning hits to give Dos Pueblos softball a 7-4 victory over Ventura High on Friday in Ventura.
After the two teams were locked at 4-4 through seven innings, Cassidy led off the top of the eighth with a solo homer and, a few batters later, Hedricks belted a two-run double to take a 7-4 lead.
Sophomore Julianna Brunner then took the ball in the bottom half and worked around an error to close out the victory.
“This was a great win for us,” Dos Pueblos head coach Mike Gerken said. “I expect many more games like this in the Channel League. I am proud of how we responded after giving up the late lead.
“Ventura had a lot of momentum, but we were not phased and came back strong in the eighth. Zella is a great competitor and she showed it with every at-bat today, especially on the home run.”
Earlier in the game, the Chargers opened the scoring in the third with an RBI double by freshman Emily Morici. The 1-0 score held until the top of the sixth, when senior Anastasia Brunner and Cassidy each drove in runs and a run came around to score on an error to make it 4-0.
The Cougar offense woke up in the bottom of the sixth, plating four runs to tie the game up at 4-4 and eventually set up the Dos Pueblos late-game heroics.
Cassidy went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored to lead the offense, while Anastasia Brunner, Morici, senior Kacey Hurley and sophomore Kyanne Bechler tallied two hits apiece.
“We got contributions up and down the order. Getting 15 hits off a pitcher like Ventura has is quite an accomplishment,” Gerken said.
Morici handled the bulk of the pitching duties, allowing four runs on four hits in six innings while striking out nine. Julianna Brunner fired two shutout frames in relief.
The Chargers (5-2, 2-0 Channel League) are set to host Buena on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Okinaka Field.
San Marcos 13, Buena 11
The Royals came from behind and held on in the final innings to pull out a road win over the Bulldogs on Friday in Ventura.
“A total slugfest, both literally and metaphorically for us today,” San Marcos head coach Emily Dietz said. “This was a bit of a wake-up call for our girls. More importantly, though, I think it was a great showing of their heart as a team.”
The first two innings featured plenty of offense back-and-forth, with Buena dropping five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 6-4 lead.
That score held until the fifth when San Marcos plated three runs to jump out in front 7-6. The Royals continued to roll in the sixth when five straight hits resulted in six more runs to grow the lead to 13-6.
The Bulldogs did not go away quietly, however, scoring three runs in the sixth to make it 13-9. They continued to chip away with two runs in the seventh and got the tying run into scoring position, but San Marcos junior Lucy Dessert finished off her complete game victory.
Senior Solana Sandoval was in the middle of the Royals’ offensive outburst, going 4-for-5 with four doubles and three RBI. Sophomore Sutera Raring also had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored.
“Offensively, we know our team can score runs. Top to bottom, our lineup can string hits together and continue to get runners on. That was evident today. You can’t ask for much more than 13 runs on 15 hits, including 10 doubles as a team,” Dietz said.
“Sutera has been splitting time for us behind the plate and I’m so proud of the confidence she’s gaining as a player. She might have started on the JV roster, but she’s making her presence really known and felt on varsity.”
San Marcos (6-2, 2-0 Channel League) will host Rio Mesa on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.