Coyotes explode for softball win

Just four days after getting no hits in a County/Metro Athletic Conference victory, the Madera Coyotes softball team made sure they got enough hits and put enough runs on the scoreboard in a league game with the Edison-Fresno Tigers.

The Coyotes banged out 16 hits in a 20-4 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday. They scored four runs in the second, seven in the fourth and closed the game with nine runs in the sixth.

The victory over the Tigers continues the beating Madera has given them. In the past four games, the Coyotes have defeated the Tigers 60-7, including a game last year where the Coyotes also scored 20 runs.

Madera lead-off batter Erika Perez continues to torch CMAC pitchers. She is hitting .579 in the CMAC with 10 runs. Of her 11 hits, seven have gone for extra bases, including a three-run home run against Edison. She drove in a career-high six runs in the win to give her 11 RBIs in the CMAC.

Brianah Hamilton tied the Coyotes’ record for most home runs in a career with a three-run shot to conclude the scoring in the sixth inning. She now has 12 to tie the record set by Valerie Ornelas in 2020. Hamilton has four homers in the CMAC with 10 RBIs.

Of Madera’s 16 hits, seven went for extra bases, all by the top seven batters in Madera’s batting order. All nine batters got a hit, drove in a run and scored a run.

Perez, Hamilton, Kailea Ricks and Jocelyn Mendez each had three hits. Nevaeh Galvan, Nastasha Griffin, Kaylynn Powell, Ricks and Mendez each hit doubles. Griffin, Powell and Ricks hit back-to-back-to-back doubles in the seven run fourth inning.

Hamilton and Ricks scored three runs each. Pinch-runner Dani Aguirre, along with Galvan, Griffin, Powell, Sadie Gonzalez and Leilani Moreno each scored two runs.

Madera offense backed pitcher Alexis Galvan, who struck out 10 in six innigns of work. She walked two batters, allowed three earned runs on just five hits.

Madera battles Madera South at 5:30 p.m. tonight.