Warriors take Injury Fund contest at Shea

PAWTUCKET — Considering a few of her players had taken to other parts of the country, one to the Grand Canyon, for Spring Vacation, Central Falls High skipper Carmen Ruiz didn’t ask much from those remaining on Saturday morning.

During a non-league, Injury Fund affair against young Shea, she asked them only to try to make better contact with the bat and exhibit more consistent defense.

The Warriors exceeded those expectations – and then some – in a 21-4 “mercy-rule” blowout. They may have only collected eight hits, but took advantage of 16 walks, an astonishing 25 stolen bags and nine Shea errors to climb to 2-3 overall.

Freshman Giana Hernandez paced the victors, finishing 3-for-4 with six robbed bases, two RBI and three runs scored, while senior Ana Santos went 3-for-4 with four thefts, RBI and two runs; classmate Maleena Cruz 1-for-3 with three RBI and a run; sophomore Tamara Negron 0-for-0 with four passes and four stolen bases; senior co-captain Daijah Smith

0-for-2 with three walks, four thefts and an RBI; sophomore Kelsea Moran 1-for-2 with two “freebies,” two robberies, an RBI and run; and senior Kassandra Chavez 0-for-2 with a walk, two RBI and a run.

To her credit, Moran was solid in the circle, whirling a two-hitter with only a walk, a hit batsman and two wild pitches while whiffing a quintet.

“Our focus (Saturday) was to hit the ball more solidly and tighten up the defense,” Ruiz noted after the triumph. “This was probably the best we’ve played in the field all season. We’ve been stressing defense in practice; what we wanted to do was not to turn one error into two.

“I also wanted them to have more fun out there. The thing is, we’d make a mistake or two, and the girls would get down on themselves. They didn’t here because, well, we didn’t make as many errors.

“As for the hitting, this is probably the best we’ve hit this year, too,” she continued. “We played Block Island (Friday) and lost, but I don’t want to get into it, but it seemed every time we made contact, we hit it right at somebody.”

The Raiders fell to 0-6 overall, but first-year head coach Alyssa McCoart seemed pleased with improvement in a few areas.

“After the game, I told the kids that – regardless of the score – I wanted them to remain confident and to continue to try to do their best,” she said. “I had some girls out there in the infield who had never played the game before, at least on a competitive level, and they were making outs.

“I’m also proud of the way they swung the bats. They were more aggressive at the plate. We had 36 girls show up for the first day of practice, which is an amazing number. We had so many girls, (Athletic Director Kate Corry) had to put together a JV team, which is a first at Shea.”

She also mentioned that she only had two seniors among her starters, with six others being only freshmen and sophomores.

“With this being the Injury Fund, I wanted to get the girls who’ll be playing JV more experience, more live atbats,” she stated. “I’m just looking for improvement, have them put the ball in play more, and also know where they’re going to throw the ball when it’s hit to them. Given the fact we’re so young, we’re succeeding more often.”

CF notched five runs right from the start, as Smith walked, stole second and third and hustled home on a throwing error, and Moran did the same. Santos followed with a double and scored on another throwing miscue, while senior Keiry Colon reached on a pass, moved to second on Hernandez’ infield hit and scored on a wild pitch.

Hernandez eventually raced home on sophomore Savannah Anibal’s groundout. Because of an Interscholastic League rule, one that dictates a team may only score five runs in an inning, the frame ended.

Shea responded in kind, as senior Isabella Panzo drew a leadoff walk, took second on sophomore Tamalee Torres’ groundout and scored on Ashley Torres’ hit to left. She later came in on two wild offerings and a theft of home to slice the deficit to 52.

The Warriors manufactured four more in the second, courtesy of Moran’s RBI triple and Hernandez’ two-run, opposite-field single to right; then tacked on another five in the third. Those were the result of six consecutive walks by righty starter Tamalee Torres, a wild delivery, an error and Santos’ RBI infield hit.

In the top of the fourth, Hernandez singled and scored on Cruz’ groundout, while Negron walked and sprinted home on a wild pitch. Later, Anibal turned a pass into a run, that via error.

Trailing at that point, 17-2, Ashley Torres mustered her second single of the game to initiate the fourth, then took second when junior Angie Ramirez was hit by Moran. Frosh Garza then plated both when she reached on a throwing miscue.

The Warriors, though, iced it with four in the fifth. Highlights of that frame included Cruz’ two-run single and Chavez’ RBI groundout.

Moran retired the Raiders in order in the back half, leaving umpires to call the game due to the 10-run “mercy” rule.

“Ana Santos suffered a shoulder injury on a throw to second (Friday) against Block Island, and she had to come out in the third inning,” Ruiz said. “We weren’t sure if she could go (against Shea), but she did, and played very well.”

Offered Santos: “I iced it, then put heat on it (Friday night). There was no way I’d miss this game. The fact we won, it helps me get motivated for the (upcoming) games. I have a goal, and that’s to be better than I was the previous year.

“We won, and it should give my teammates more confidence for the rest of the season,” she added. “I feel like if I do well and work hard, they’ll see that and make them want to do the same.”