Tigers hold off Wildcats for win in softball
IMPERIAL — With sole possession of first place on the line, the softball teams from Imperial and Brawley Union high schools delivered an exciting game to fans here Tuesday night.
In the end, the Tigers were able to hold off a late Wildcat rally to record their ninth Imperial Valley League win after edging the Wildcats, 5-4.
“We definitely hit better this time around and had solid defense and pitching in the early innings,” said Imperial head coach Andrea Horton. “I have to give it to Brawley. They made a great effort coming back the way they did. They are a good-hitting team.”
The Tigers’ only loss this season came to Brawley High on April 8 putting the reigning IVL champs in a tight position heading into the second half of league play.
Imperial now sits atop the IVL standings with a 9-1 record followed by Calexico (7-2) and Brawley (6-3).
The Tigers recorded the first run of the game in the first inning after Cassandra Valle doubled to centerfield allowing Jazleigh Ortiz to come around to score.
Ortiz finished the game going 3-for-3 with two singles, a homerun and three runs scored.
“I think we were seeing the ball better this time and I myself was healthier,” Ortiz said. “Last time I was battling the stomach flu, so overall I felt better and I think we executed better too.”
Ortiz’s dinger put Imperial ahead 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, igniting the Tiger offense that connected for four hits in the inning including Rebeka Jimenez’s double that gave the home team a 5-0 lead.
While the game appeared to be headed toward a shutout, the Wildcats had other plans when Taylor Carranza knocked a homerun of her own to give the Wildcats two runs in the top of the sixth.
The Tigers were able to end the top half of the sixth without giving up any more runs, yet after three quick outs in the bottom of the inning found themselves facing an eager Wildcat lineup in the top of the seventh.
Following back-toback singles from Savannah Estrada and Jalyn Ayala, the Wildcats had two runners on base with no outs and senior lefthander Alisha Diaz at the plate.
“When we’re in the huddle, everyone just tries to make me smile or laugh because it can be pretty intense up there,” said Imperial’s senior pitcher Sinclaire Mays.
While Diaz would reach first for the fourth time in the game, a fielder’s choice would take out the lead runner, yet still leaving two runners on base for Brawley.
After Mays was able to strike out the fourth batter of the inning the Wildcats still had two runners on first and second with one final out in the game.
Both Ayala and Diaz would come around to score on consecutive singles from Alexces Tomboc and Calie Spence yet a fly out to centerfield after Spence’s hit would end the inning and the game.
The Tigers improve to 12-9-1 overall, while Brawley falls to 16-10-1.
Both teams return to action Friday with Imperial traveling to take on Central Union and Brawley traveling to take on Holtville. Both games are set for 6:30 p.m.