IVGSL’s 10-U team state bound
Last week, the Imperial Valley Girls’ Softball League 10-U All-Star team competed in the South San Diego District Tournament and came out of the loser’s bracket to compete in the title game.
The local stars competed in a total of eight games in a three-day span and finished with a record of six wins and two losses.
While the team’s second loss came in the title game, the district finalist finished high enough to qualify for the 2018 Southern California State Championship beginning Friday in Lancaster.
“I think that they did very well,” said 10-U Head Coach Richard Rodriguez. “They played against high-quality teams, and they were able to compete. It was really exciting seeing how hard they fought to get to the championship game and quality for the state tourney. All their hard worked paid off at this tournament.”
The local stars opened the district tourney with a strong 8-1 win over Peninsula, before falling 4-3 to Rancho San Diego.
The team then rallied for five straight wins over Imperial Beach, Clairemont, Santee, East County and UC Del Sol to force a rematch in the title game against Rancho San Diego, which resulted in a 5-1 loss for the team. “I just told them that we’re extremely proud of them,” Rodriguez said. “To come into a big tourney with so many teams and to be one of the last two teams still standing that in itself is a great accomplishment.”
Rodriguez noted the players’ resilient attitude and how they were ready to get back to work following the loss in order to prepare for state.
“These last few practices have been a lot of fun,” he said. “There has been a lot of excitement there. The girls that went last year share their experience, and it just brings a lot of excitement to everyone, including the parents.”
While the level of competition at state will no doubt be more competitive than the district tourney, Rodriguez said he is confident the squad will rise to the occasion and play to its full potential.
“As young as they are, they still have so much love and passion for the game I know they’ll go out and play as a team and give it their all,” he said.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Slumping Brandon Crawford doubled twice, tripled and drove in three runs, leading the San Francisco Giants over the San Diego Padres 5-3 on Saturday.
Brandon Belt singled twice and Gorkys Hernandez added an RBI double as the Giants won their fifth in seven games.
Crawford went into the game mired in an 0-for-18 funk. He walked in the second inning, hit a triple off Matt Strahm in the fourth and doubled in a pair of runs off Adam Cimber (3-4) in the sixth. Crawford also doubled and scored in the eighth.
San Francisco’s Gold Glove-winning shortstop also helped turn three of the Giants’ four double plays. He made a throwing error in the ninth that allowed a run to score.
Reyes Moronta (3-1) retired three batters.
Hunter Renfroe homered for San Diego. The Padres have dropped six of seven.
San Diego manager Andy Green was forced to scramble after starting pitcher Jordan Lyles was scratched from the lineup with right forearm tightness minutes before he was scheduled to take the mound in the bottom of the first.
Strahm, who started last Sunday in Atlanta, replaced Lyles and pitched into the fourth inning. Strahm gave up two hits and left after yielding Crawford’s RBI triple.
Cimber, the fourth San Diego pitcher, allowed both runs in the sixth.
Hernadez doubled in Nick Hundley in the seventh to make it 4-1.
Giants starter Andrew Suarez gave up one run in 5 2/3 innings.
Things got a little chippy in the seventh when Andrew McCutchen was hit by a pitch from San Diego relievver Phil Maton. McCutchen took exception to the pitch that was high and inside and glared at Maton for several moments. Padres A.J. Ellis stepped in front of McCutchen and spoke to the hitter briefly before McCutchen walked to first base.
Earlier in the week, the Giants and Miami Marlins exchanged allegations of beanballs during their three-game series at AT&T Park.