FRESNO — The County squad used a six run seventh inning helped by an umpire error to best the City squad, 7-4, in the 38th annual City/County All-Star Softball game played at Fresno State’s Margie Wright Diamond.
Madera’s Tayah Hernandez, Madera South’s Savaanah Garcia and Liberty’s Brianna Burgess helped the City squad to an early 3-0 lead Wednesday.
Anchored by the pitching of Chowchilla duo Kelsey Volkmar and Jana Pope, the City squad stayed close enough to get the victory. Pope got the win in relief of Volkmar. She tossed the final five innings, allowed two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts without a walk.
Volkmar got the start and tossed the first four innings. She allowed two unearned runs to go with six strikeouts and three walks. Teammate Morgan Sewell scored a run in the pivotal seventh inning.
Garcia and Hernandez each had hits and scored a run for the City team. Garcia stole two bases and Hernandez stole another.
Garcia scored the first run of of the game. She drew a lead-off walk, stole second and scored on a groundout.
The City added another run in the top of the third with a two out, nobody on rally. Savannah Badillo (Hoover-Fresno) was hit by a pitch and stole second.
Hernandez reached on an error while pinch-runner Cici Tennison (Edison-Fresno) scored from second for a 2-0 lead. Hernandez alertly took second on the play. Garcia followed with a bunt single and a stolen base, but a groundout ended the inning.
City extended its lead to three with a run in the top of the fifth inning. April Xiong split the left-gap ally for a double. She went to third on a passed ball and scored on a groundout by Sierra Freeman (Clovis North).
Marissa Gutierrez (Firebaugh) singled to left to open the bottom of the seventh for the County. Madison Alves (Kingsburg) reached on an infield single and Sewell drew a walk while Gutierrez scored on a passed ball.
The next batter hit a sinking liner to left. The City leftfielder made a diving catch for the first out of the inning. She threw to third to get Alves, who appeared to not tag up on the play for the second out. However, the umpires ruled Alves did tag up and the run counted.
A single and a walk loaded the bases. Josie Simas (Hanford West) greeted reliever Melina Anguiano (Bullard-Fresno) with a fly ball over Hernandez’s head in deep right field. Simas slid into third while three runs scored to open a 6-3 lead.
The City scored a run in the top of the eighth. McKenzie Everhart (Clovis North) led off the inning with a double to the left-centerfield gap. Hernandez worked the count and singled up the middle to put runners at the corners.
With Garcia at the plate, Hernandez took off for second. She stopped before the tag could be applied while Everhart broke to the plate. However, Everhart was tagged out while Hernandez took second. She went to third on Garcia’s groundout and scored on a Claire Buckley (Buchanan-Clovis) single to cut the lead to three.
The County added a run in the bottom of the second after a hit by pitch, two groundouts and an error.
Pope closed out the game by striking out the side for a City victory.