Coyotes get split at Easter Classic
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Erika Perez leads off Saturday’s game with a double to eventually score the first run of a victory over the Kingsburg Vikings. She added a triple later in the game.
The Madera Coyotes softball team was able to avenge an early loss, but all that did was get them a meeting with the top team in the Central Section, and maybe the state.
The Coyotes came from behind to defeat the Kingsburg Vikings, who they lost to earlier in the season. Coincidentally, the same day the Coyotes lost to Kingsburg earlier this year, they faced the Clovis North Broncos, the same opponent Madera faced in its second game. The Broncos exploded for a 15-0, three-inning victory Saturday at the Buchanan Easter Classic.
The Coyotes came back from a 3-1 deficit against Kingsburg to score four runs in the sixth for a 5-3 win over Kingsburg, a team they lost to 6-3 earlier.
The split earned the Coyotes a 9 a.m. game Monday to conclude the tournament.
Madera 5, Kingsburg 2
The Vikings scored all of their runs in the first meeting in one inning and used that for a win over the Coyotes in the Central Tournament.
Madera turned the tables and scored four runs in the sixth for a 5-3 win.
Despite allowing three runs, Madera pitcher Alexis Galvan was solid. She struck out seven batters and didn’t walk a batter.
Lead-off batter Erika Perez hit a double and a single and Mendez, for the second straight game, hit a run-scoring double, and added a single.
Kailea Ricks, Nastasha Griffin and Leilani Moreno each had hits in the game.
Madera took the lead in the top of the first inning when Perez hit the first pitch she saw past the centerfielder for a double.
After a flyout, Ricks singled up the middle and Perez raced home with the first run of the game.
Galvan hit the Kingsburg lead-off batter, but then allowed three straight singles that lead to two runs in the first inning.
With runners at second and third and the Vikings threatening to break open the game, Galvan settled down to retire the next three batters in order.
She kept the Vikings from adding to their lead by retiring 12 of the next 14 batters until the Vikings added a run in the fifth.
Kingsburg led off the fifth with a single and came around to score on a double to deep right field. Again, Galvan settled down and retired the next three batters to end the inning.
Galvan closed the game by retiring eight of the next nine batters and got a line-out double play in the sixth.
Perez had a chance to tie the game in the third with a triple off the left-centerfield fence. However, the next two batters were retired to end the inning.
Mendez led off the fifth with a single on the eighth pitch of the at-bat. Moreno sacrificed pinch-runner Meah Avila to second. Avila beat a throw to third on a wild pitch.
Perez was intentionally walked, but the next two batters were retired, although it appeared Ricks beat a throw to first that would have tied the score.
Madera finally broke through in the sixth inning trailing 3-1.
Hamilton started the rally with a walk on a full count. She advanced to second when a pick-off throw to first went into right field. She went to third on a groundout by Kaylynn Powell.
Sadie Gonzalez hit a grounder to the pitcher. Hamilton broke to the plate. Kingsburg tried to get Hamilton, but Hamilton reversed course and headed back to third. She beat the throw to third while Gonzalez advanced to second.
Griffin sinlged to centerfield to drive in Hamilton and Gonzalez to tie the score at three.
Mendez took advantage of the Kingsburg outfield playing shallow and hit a full-count pitch over the left fielder’s head for a double to drive in Griffin with the go-ahead run.
Moreno hit the next pitch to centerfield and Avila raced around the bases to score an insurance run for the 5-3 lead.
Clovis North 15, Madera 0
Madera’s reward for the victory was a back-to-back game with the Broncos, who received a bye in their first game.
The Broncos jumped on Galvan early in the game. The first batter of the game lined a ball off Galvan’s calf. She only retired one of the next four batters.
Clovis North hit a two-run double, scored on a wild pitch and hit a solo home run for a 4-0 lead.
Galvan had a contusion on her calf and Powell came in relief.
She allowed seven runs, but four runs were earned in two innings. Griffin relieved Powell and allowed four runs on two hits, but all four runs were unearned.
The Broncos hit three home runs in the game, two by Alexis DeBoer, who finished with five RBIs. Three Broncos scored three runs and Clovis North had seven extra base hits.
Starting pitcher Ryan Maddox also hit a solo home run to go with a double and scored three runs. She also limited the Coyotes to just one hit over two innings and struck out four.
The Coyotes were retired in order in the first two innings.
Griffin led off the bottom of the third by reaching on an infield single. She advanced to second when Danielle Aguirre was hit by a pitch. The next two batters struck out and a forceout ended the game.
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