TIGERS WIN 16U SOFTBALL TITLE
Tigers scorch Bruins for 18 runs in last two innings of heat-delayed game
Time didn’t impact the Tigers’ offensive power in the Lodi Boosters Boys and Girls Sports’ 16 and under softball championship game against the Bruins at Salas Park on Wednesday.
After B.O.B.S. officials pushed the starting time of the title game to 7:30 p.m. from 6 because of a sixth consecutive day of triple-digit heat in the region, the Tigers roared back with 18 runs in the final two innings for a wild 21-11 win over the Bruins to claim the 16 title. Before the playoffs started on Monday, both the Tigers and the Bruins finished the regular season with an 8-4 record each.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, with the Bruins leading by an 11-9 margin, the Tigers rallied with 12 runs that led to the win. Autumn Dunham led off with a walk — one of 11 issued to the Tigers in the last half-inning. Rachel Tokheim moved Dunham to second base on a Bruin infield error that also put Tokheim on first base. Back-to-back walks in the inning were issued to the Tigers’ Sasha Loock and Valentina Lozano, with Dunham touching home plate on Lozano’s free pass that trimmed the Bruins’ lead to 11-10.
Arianne Torres singled to score Tokheim and tie the game at 11-11. Loock scored the Tigers’ go-ahead run, forced in by walk issued to teammate and leadoff hitter Victoria Eaton.
The Tigers finished off the deciding inning with six walks given to Lilyanna Cadena, Katie Greenmeyer, Victoria Cuevas and Maura Ambriz. Tokehim, along with Loock and
Lozano, earned their second walks in the inning.
The Tigers managed two singles in the inning that lasted more than 30 minutes. The Tigers’ other hit was also a single, this time to Dunham in her second at-bat.
The Bruins sent 13 batters to the batter’s box that led to eight runs and the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Three singles from Molly Haynes, Alyssa Bradley and Lelana La Londe contributed toward the Bruins’ attack, plus the help from two walks to Manssa Rivera and Haley Magud. Jordan Meyers, along with Bruin teammates Destiny Zentner and Morgan Hardison, were hit by pitches.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers scored six times to break up a 3-3 score for a 9-3 lead. Six walks, plus a double by Destiny Kaelber and a single from Ambriz, led the way.
The Bruins led 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning. That’s when a home run lifted them to a 3-0 advantage. That homer was courtesy of Meyers, a shot over that bounced down the third base line and curved toward the left field fence. Prior to the blast, Meyers’ teammate in Magud singled, also to left field.
But the Tigers’ bats made some noise in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 33. Eaton doubled to right-center field. Alexis Fortuna’s single to left field, plus three walks, hit batter and a fielder’s choice, helped the Tigers.
Makayla Fincher had one of three hits for the Bruins in the top of the second inning. After her hit, Fincher scored on Bradley’s single. Haynes had the other hit for the Bruins.