Coyotes get walk-off winner

Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune

Madera’s Jocelyn Mendez (00) celebrates with Erika Perez (11) and first base coach Melissa Armiento-van Loon after her ninth inning single drove in the game-inning run Monday against Liberty of Bakersfield.

---

The Madera Coyotes softball team walked off a nine-inning victory in the Buchanan Easter Classic, but lost in a revenge game to close out the tournament.

Madera catcher Joc Mendez stayed hot with the game-winning hit in the ninth inning that saw the Coyotes climb back from a two-run deficit in the seventh and eighth innings for the 5-4 victory Monday morning over the Liberty-Bakersfield Patriots.

However, after a 6-2 win on March 31, the Clovis East Timberwolves returned the favor with a 6-3 victory to close the tournament.

Madera continues County/Metro Athletic Conference play Tuesday against the Madera South Stallions with Senior Night at 5:30 p.m. They also host Sanger on Friday for Little League Day at 3:30 p.m.

Madera 5, Liberty 4 (9 innings)

Twice, the Madera Coyotes fell behind by a pair of runs and twice the Coyotes tied the score before getting the victory in the ninth.

The first six innings were dominated by Madera pitcher Alexis Galvan and Liberty pitcher Presley Hosick. Both pitcher put up zeroes until the seventh when the International tie-breaker put a runner at second base.

Hosick allowed five runs, but none were earned. She struck out nine and walked a batter. Galvan scattered nine hits over her seven innings and allowed five runs, two earned, while striking out 12 batters.

Mendez led the Coyotes with two hits and two RBIs.

Galvan stranded 10 runners through the first six innings. She struck out two batters in three for the first four innings and four total. She allowed just two runners to reach second base until the seventh inning.

Meanwhile, Hosick was just as dominant, although Madera had closer chances to score.

Brianah Hamilton led off the second by reaching on an error. Nastasha Griffin sacrificed her to second and a passed ball advanced Hamilton to third. However, the next two batters were retired to end the inning.

Sadie Gonzalez led off the fourth inning by reaching on a bunt single. She stole second and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kailea Ricks. However, a strikeout and a groundout ended the inning.

Hosick retired 10 straight batters in a run until the seventh.

Liberty took the lead in the top of the seventh inning. With one on and two outs, Hosick lined a ball down the left field line that appeared to be foul. However, the umpire ruled fair and Hosick ran around the bases for an inside-the-park, two-run home run for the lead.

Madera battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Hamilton started the rally with a four-pitch walk. Griffin put down a bunt, but the Liberty second baseman dropped the throw and Hamilton advanced to third on the error.

Nevaeh Galvan singled up the middle to drive in Hamilton to cut the lead to one. Galvan stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. Mendez lined a single to left to drive in pinch-runner Danielle Aguirre to tie the score. Pinch-runner Meah Avila stole second, but was stranded on a strikeout.

The Patriots reclaimed the lead in the top of the eighth. An error on a dropped throw put runners at first and third. Liberty singled up the middle to drive in the go-ahead run.

After a flyout, Liberty reached on a fielder’s choice. However, a pair of errors — both on throws back to the pitcher — allowed the Patriots to score another run for a 4-2 lead.

Erika Perez put down a bunt to try to advance runner Leilani Moreno to third for Madera. However, a throwing error allowed Moreno to score while Perez advanced to second.

After a strikeout, Ricks singled to drive in Perez, but she was tagged out in a rundown between first and second. Hamilton started another rally with a single and Aguirre reached on an error with Hamilton taking third. A groundout ended the inning with the game tied.

Liberty tried to put down a bunt, but was tagged out at third in the ninth inning. The Patriots put down another bunt and got a runner to third, but a groundout ended the inning without a run scoring.

Kaylynn Powell opened the ninth by sacrificing Galvan to third. Mendez hit the second pitch of the at-bat into centerfield to drive in Galvan with the game-winning run.

Clovis East 6, Madera 3

The Timberwolves scored five runs in the third inning to break open a scoreless game for the 6-3 victory.

Powell suffered the loss by allowing four runs, three earned, in two innings of work. Nastasha Griffin allowed an unearned run and struck out two. Alexis Galvan closed the game with an unearned run over the final three innings.

The Madera offense was limited to six hits, but two were home runs that accounted for all of the scoring.

The Timberwolves opened the scoring in the sixth with a double, a bunt single and a single to score the first run. A run-scoring double gave the Timberwolves a 2-0 lead. Two fielder’s choices and an error led to three unearned runs and a 5-0 lead.

Perez opened the third inning by hitting the first pitch over the centerfield fence for her first home run of the season.

After a strikeout, Ricks drew a walk. Hamilton hit a high fly ball down the left field line on the next pitch. The ball landed over the left field fence for a two-run home run.

However, that would be the end of Madera’s scoring. Perez was stranded at second after a two-out single in the fourth. Hamilton was stranded at second after reaching on a fielder’ s choice and Perez was doubled off second after a sharp lineout in the seventh to end the game.

Clovis East scored another unearned run in the fifth after an error, sacrifice and single for the 6-3 victory.