FLAMES SOFTBALL CRUISES PAST TOKAY
A chain reaction of plays generated plenty of offense.
In its second game against rival Tokay at the Lodi Softball Complex on Friday, Lodi got the offense going and clinched one of the Tri-City Athletic League’s four playoff spots with a 14-4 win over the Tigers. The game was called in the fifth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.
This is the second time in a month that Lodi has silenced the Tigers. The Flames posted a 14-1 win over Tokay in their first meeting at the Arnaiz Softball Complex on March 28. Counting Friday’s win, Lodi has outscored Tokay 28-5. Lodi and Tokay will close out the regular season at the complex next Wednesday.
Lodi (8-5 in the TCAL, 10-11) and Tokay (3-9-1 in the TCAL, 10-10-1) were tied at 3-3 entering the bottom of the fourth inning. Then Lodi’s Allisa Yabumoto (3-for-3, five RBIs) led off the inning with a single to right field, and advanced to second base when leadoff hitter Ashlee Toy walked.
Yabumoto, who stole third, scored the go-ahead run when Harlie Litton hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-3. The Flames continued to place runners on the bases when Johnna Schroeder and Alyssa Pinto were issued back-to-back walks to load the bases.
That set the tone for teammate Shelby Katzakian. On a drop pitch, Katzakian smacked the ball to a Tokay infielder in what appeared to be routine grounder. Instead, the ball went through the infielder’s legs and rolled into left field. That allowed Toy, Schroeder and Pinto to score, and Katzakian stretching the hit into a triple and increased the Flames’ lead to 7-3.
“That did help us,” said Lodi coach Michelle Souza. “Coming back has always been the key for us.”
Tokay coach Aaron Misasi added, “I would say that broke the game open. It’s a tough play ... that was kind of a dagger in our hearts.”
The Flames added two more runs in the inning to make it 93. Katzakian scored on winning pitcher Danielle Pfenning’s double to center field. Pfenning scored the final run on Dessa Zavala’s single.
Tokay scored its final run of the game in the top of the fifth inning. Leadoff hitter Simone Medeiros walked, stole second base and moved to third on a passed ball. Then she came home on Hallie Beadles’ double that also went into left field.
Now 9-4 in the bottom of the frame, Lodi finished the game with five hits to score its final five runs. The big hit was Yabumoto’s double to center field, which drove home Katzakian (single), Madison Faul, who was pinch-running for Pfenning, and Zavala (fielder’s choice).
“Hitting has been the key; they are just going one by one,” Souza said. “I’m just proud that we continue to hit, continue to progress at the bags, getting smarter at running. We’ve got to keep going. It’s a team effort.”
Misasi added, “They clearly outplayed us. They outpitched us, and played better defense and hit the ball better than us.”
Lodi tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third inning when Pinto was hit by a pitch and scored on Zavala’s first hit of the game, a single to left-center field. Zavala went 2-for-3 in the game.
“We were right there; we were playing ball,” Misasi said. “We’ve improved over the last month.”
In the top of the third, Tokay took a short-lived 3-2 lead off three hits and one Lodi error. Medeiros, Hannah Hauschildt and Aliah Cisneros singled, with Medeiros and Cisneros scoring. Beadles reached first base on a Lodi throwing error in the infield.
“I was a little intense for this one,” Souza admitted. “Aaron is a good coach, and he’s just as prepared as any coach we have in the TCAL.”
Misasi added, “This is a solid league.”
The Flames scored a run each in the first and second innings for a 2-0 lead. In the second frame, Yabumoto singled and scored on Toy’s base hit to center field. The first run in the first inning had Toy single to left field and score on Schroeder’s single, a line drive that went into left field.
Lodi had 14 hits and four walks in the game. Tokay only had four hits.
In the circle, Pfenning went the distance for the Flames. She gave up only five hits and walked four.
“Danielle has been working hard for us,” said Souza of Pfenning.
On Monday, Lodi will host St. Mary’s in the Flames’ final home game of the season before playing the Tigers again. Tokay will play at West, also next Monday.
Contact reporter Mike Bush at mikeb@lodinews.com. Follow on Twitter: @MBushLodiSports.