HANFORD — The Madera Coyotes couldn’t find enough offense or the key hit in a Div. II Central Section semifinal loss to top-seed Hanford.
The Coyotes banged out five hits, but went a combined 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. What also hurt was three errors that led to two unearned runs in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss.
“We just didn’t play Coyote softball today,” head coach Judy Shaubach said. “We made some mistakes that we haven’t made in a while. We didn’t make adjustments. We were pressing a little bit.”
Kailea Ricks kept up her hot hitting with three hits against Hanford. She hit a home run in last Friday’s quarterfinal win over St. Joseph’s.
Coyote catcher Jocelyn Mendez was the only other Coyotes with hits and she had two.
“We had so many runners on base, but couldn’t do the fundamental things like taking pitches and, most importantly, lay down a bunt,” Shaubach said.
Coyote pitcher Alexis Galvan scattered six hits. She allowed three runs, but just one was earned. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out four.
The Coyotes had the first chance to score. Ricks led off the second with a single off the pitcher’s glove. She advanced to second on a passed ball.
However, a strikeout kept Ricks at second. Mendez flied out to right, but Ricks advanced to third. The next batter struck out to end the inning.
Ricks hit a two-out single to left in the fourth and then stole second. A groundout ended the threat.
Hanford put two runs across in the fourth. The Bullpups reached on an error to lead off the inning. The runner was sacrificed to second. Hanford’s clean-up batter doubled to deep right field to score a run.
Another single advanced the runner to third and Hanford scored when the ball was misplayed in the outfield.
The Bullpups added an insurance run in the fifth. With one out, Hanford doubled to deep center. A groundout advanced the runner to third. Hanford came in to score on Madera’s third misplay of the game for a 3-0 lead.
Mendez led off the fifth with a single, but Madera struck out and Leilani Moreno forced pinch-runner Meah Avila at second.
Moreno stole second, but the next batter struck out to leave her stranded.
The Coyotes had one more threat in the top of the seventh. Ricks hit her third single of the game to centerfield. Nastasha Griffin forced out Ricks at second.
Mendez followed with a single to left to put two on with one out. Hanford got a strikeout and a popout to end the game and send the Coyotes home.