Giants softball extends winning streak to 6; awaits CVC showdown with Fresno City
By Nick Giannandrea
COS ATHLETICS
College of the Sequoias' softball team remains within striking distance of the Central Valley Conference championship following a third straight doubleheader sweep -- all by the run-rule, no less.
The Giants improved to 9-3 overall and 8-2 in the CVC with 8-0 and 10-2 victories -- both in five innings -- at home May 11 against Merced.
Sequoias will be idle until a May 18th doubleheader showdown at first-place Fresno City (10-4, 8-0). Games are scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m.
In the first game against Merced (1-10, 1-9), Olivia Aguigam (El Diamante) pitched four scoreless innings while striking out four, and Emily Juarez (Hanford) scored the only run the Giants would need when she singled, stole second and eventually scored on a sacrifice bunt by Audra Pratt (Golden West) to highlight a three-run bottom of the first inning.
Emily Ibarra (Redwood) had a run-scoring single in a two-run second inning, and Juarez doubled home Mariah Guerrero (Redwood) and Alyssa Grijalva (Selma) in the third as Sequoias built a 7-0 lead.
Pratt scored what proved to be the mercy rule-enacting run in the fourth when she reached on a fielder's choice and eventually came home on a wild pitch.
Ibarra finished 3 for 3, while Juarez and Grijalva each collected two hits for Sequoias.
Aguigam (8-2) was the winning pitcher, while Grijalva pitched a scoreless fifth inning to close it out.
In the second game, RBI singles by Ibarra and Pratt in the first inning got the Giants rolling toward their eighth mercy rule victory of the season.
Ibarra put Sequoias ahead 4-2 in the second inning with a run-scoring single.
Guerrero helped the Giants break the game open with a run-scoring triple in the third, and a two-run triple in the fourth.
Sequoias' four-run fourth inning also featured an RBI single by Aguigam and an RBI double by Juarez.
Aguigam went 3 for 3 to power the Giants' 13-hit attack. Maddison Servadio (Mission Oak), Juarez, Ibarra, Pratt and Guerrero all had two hits apiece.
After allowing a pair of earned runs on five hits over the first two innings, Grijalva (1-1) didn't give up a hit or walk the rest of the way to earn the win.
Sequoias has eight conference games remaining, and nine games left overall, in a season that was delayed and shortened by Covid-19 safety precautions.
The California Community College Athletic Association canceled the 2021 state championship tournament, but recently reaffirmed its plans to return to complete championship seasons for all sports during the 2021-2022 school year.
