Late homer lifts Linfield Christian
DUARTE >> Going into extra innings, Duarte freshman pitcher Alyssa Garcia and Linfield Christian sophomore pitcher Makaylyn Eden found themselves in a scoreless pitching duel with a berth in the CIF Southern Section Division 7 title game at stake.
Up until that point, the two pitchers dominated, having struck out a combined 10 hitters.
Linfield Christian’s Danica Perez ended the pitchers’ battle, belting a home run in the eighth inning and the Lions went on to eliminate Duarte 1-0 in Saturday’s semifinals.
The Lions advance to next week’s championship game, their first title appearance since 2001. They will take on Capistrano Valley Christian at Barber Park in Irvine on May 20 or 21.
“It was a pitch that was left up — it was supposed to be down,” Duarte softball coach Jeramey Michels explained. “Sometimes it is just one pitch in the playoffs.”
While Saturday evening’s semifinal game was decided by the long ball, it was the starting pitchers who left their imprint.
Garcia, who was the Falcons’ freshman ace all season, didn’t disappoint in the school’s first semifinal appearance. Before giving up the only runs of the game in the top of the eighth inning, the standout pitched seven scoreless innings and kept the Lions’ bat mostly quiet, with the exception of allowing a runner to reach third in the bottom of the sixth inning.
When Garica wasn’t making the Lions swing and miss, she kept most of the Lions’ hits in the infield — allowing her all-freshman infield to make plays. Garcia gave up two earned runs on five hits and struck out six.
“Alyssa is not afraid of anybody and that’s the way you’re gonna have to beat her,” Michels said of his pitcher’s performance. “I can’t ask anything more from her. Alyssa gives us everything and she doesn’t hold back. She’s doing this as a freshman and all I can say is ‘watch out.’”
Just days removed from scoring 22 runs against Leuzigner in the quarterfinals, the Falcons’ anemic performance at the plate was largely responsible for such a tight game. Duarte loaded the bases twice, including in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs. The Falcons had a chance to go ahead in other innings too, with runners on second and third once, and with runners on the corners in another inning, but couldn’t muster a run.
In fact, Duarte only once failed to advance a runner into scoring position — the bottom of the third inning, and subsequently finished 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
The Falcons’ lackluster hitting in big moments coupled with Eden’s stellar performance culminated in trouble for Duarte. Eden, similar to Garcia, showed composure beyond her years as the sophomore managed the jams without giving up any runs — something few pitchers could say this season when facing Duarte.
Eden finished with a completegame shutout, giving up six hits and striking out four batters.
“She was hitting her spots and getting outs when it mattered,” Michels said of Eden. “We have a deadly lineup and we just couldn’t push runs across. Credit to her.”
Eden’s control of the game combined with Duarte’s inability to manufacture runs came to a crossroad in the bottom of the eighth inning with one out and the bases loaded. The sophomore, who gave up two infield hits earlier in the inning, retired the next two batters — a strikeout and a ground out — to put an end to Duarte’s potential rally and season.
Duarte ends the season with a 180-degree turnaround from a season ago when the Falcons won just one game. The Falcon’s 24-game win season and first-ever semifinal appearance came in large part as a result of its heavy underclassmen roster.
The Falcons will return all but four players next season.
“Our future is bright,” Michel said. “Our whole infield is made up of freshmen. I can’t wait to see what they do. Their future is bright.”