CARDINALS FALL IN UGLY ROAD DEFEAT
Rio Americano sweeps Cardinals in 5 innings
The Woodland Christian High School varsity softball team allowed 10 runs in the first inning to Rio Americano and was unable to recover this week.
The Cardinals (10-6) ultimately lost 15-5 to the Raiders (6-13), who were celebrating Senior Day on Wednesday afternoon in Sacramento. The game concluded after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
“I think they carried into today’s game our last appearance against them,” said Woodland Christian coach Christie Miller. “It showed on the field. They didn’t show up ready to play today. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do the basic things right. Couldn’t field or catch a ball, didn’t know where to go when the ball was hit to us. Everybody has those bad days and today was it for us.”
Despite the disparity in overall records, the Cardinals came into the game as underdogs. Rio Americano is a Division III team compared to Woodland Christian, who is a Division VI squad. The Raiders completed the season sweep Wednesday, following a 17-4 victory in Woodland on March 20.
Miller said postgame that the Cardinals let their previous matchup against Rio Americano psych them out and made them feel defeated before the first pitch was even thrown Wednesday.
“Our job as coaches is to try and help pull them out of that funk and help them change their mental approach to it,” Miller explained. “Unfortunately, it was almost like it was too far gone. They just checked out before the game even started.”
The Raiders scored 10 runs in the first inning, three in the second and one in each of the third and fourth frames, respectively.
Emily Garcia got the start in the circle for Woodland Christian on Wednesday. The junior pitcher struggled, allowing 10 runs and recording only two outs. Freshman pitcher Maggie Wurzel entered the game in the first inning to relieve Garcia. She tossed the remainder of the game, going 3.1 innings and allowing five runs.
The Cardinals scored the game’s opening run in the top of the first inning. Sophomore catcher Teagan Hayes got on base after drawing a walk. She advanced to third following a single by freshman outfielder Isadora Weiner. Hayes scored on an error by the Raiders after junior center fielder Alexis Wiese hit a line drive to center field which was mishandled by the Rio Americano outfielder.
The Cardinals immediately responded in the top of the second frame following the scoring onslaught by the Raiders. Hayes continued her hot streak, hitting a double to left field that scored Wurzel and freshman right fielder Kylee Bihlman to trim the deficit to seven runs at 10-3.
Bihlman and Wurzel reached base again in the fourth inning. With runners on the corners, Garcia grounded into a fielder’s choice as Wurzel was called out at second and Bihlman scored to make the score 14-4.
After a ground out to begin the fifth frame, Wiese and sophomore second baseman Morgan Sanders each hit singles to center field. Both runners advanced into scoring position following a passed ball. Freshman left fielder Lauryn Stapleton hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Wiese from third.
“Alexis had a really good game at the plate today,” Miller proclaimed. “So you just try to take those moments and hope to build on that momentum and keep things going. We just fell short.”
Rio Americano ultimately prevailed 15-5 in five innings. Hayes tallied a team-high two RBI and Wurzel went 2-for-3 with two singles and a run scored.
Woodland Christian had a quick turnaround before its next game at Monterey Trail (13-8) in Elk Grove on Thursday afternoon. The score of the game was unavailable as of press time.
“If we show up and we play our game, we pitch well, play clean defense and our bats continue to be hot like they have been, we’ll compete,” Miller foreshadowed. “That’s the biggest thing for me and what we just talked about. My request has always been, 100% effort, 100% of the time. They have to be all in, all the time.
“Unfortunately, we just didn’t do that (Wednesday).”
The Cardinals wrap up the regular season with three games next week. Woodland Christian hosts Kennedy (10-6) of Sacramento on Monday and travels to Colusa (7-11) on Wednesday. The Cardinals host crosstown rival, Woodland High (9-9), to conclude the schedule on Thursday, starting at 6 p.m.