By Mark Kusenberger
tsrnsports.com
Special to SAsports.com

Pinch-runner April Barba scored on a grounder to with one-out in the 10th inning to launch the Raiders into the area round with a 7-6 victory over the Corpus Christi King Mustangs Saturday night at Northside Field #1. 

The victory gave Taft a 2-1 series victory over King; Taft will play Reagan in the area round. 

Taft, trailing 6-4 going into the seventh inning, put together a strange rally to force extra innings.  One pitch after a diving right fielder dropped a foul ball that could have retired her – no error was charged – Desirae Soto singled to left field.  Samantha Carrillo followed with a double into the left field gap, putting the tying runs into scoring position.  King coach Laura Morales, sensing that starter Seleena Lira was tiring after pitching 15 innings for the series, sent Lira to first base and put first baseman Mariena Gallardo in the pitching circle.  Danie Lopez grounded out to shortstop, scoring Soto to make it 6-5 and sending Carrillo’s pinch runner Rachel Rivera to third.

Then, with a 2-1 count on Alex Garcia, Gallardo was called for an illegal pitch.  By rule, a ball was called, making the count 3-1, but more importantly, each runner is awarded a base.  Rivera appeared to misunderstand the third base umpire’s command to run the plate and score the tying run; she had to be told twice before she made the trip. 

Taft scored the winning run in almost as unusual a fashion.  Laura Rodriguez reached on an error to lead off the 10th, then went to second on a sacrifice by Raynelle Tagle; April Barba then came in to run for Rodriguez.  Liz Rojo walked, then Allie Gutierrez fell behind 0-2 in the count against Gallardo.  Gallardo’s next pitch was wild, advancing the runners one base.  Then Gutierrez hit a grounder to first baseman and starting pitcher Seleena Lira.  Lira had the out at first, but that certainly would have let the winning run score; she threw home, but her throw was late.  Barba scored and the Raiders were victorious. 

Back in the first inning, King had the lead when Felicia Leal scored on a single by Cassie DeLeon.  Taft responded in the bottom of the first with two runs: Allie Gutierrez scored on a sacrifice fly by Soto, then Samantha Carrillo scored on a single by Danie Lopez.  Taft led 2-1 after one innings.

Then King struck a surprise blow.  With two out, catcher Jamie Arsuaga walked, then made way for courtesy runner Allison Serna.  Next, one a 2-2 pitch, DeLeon slammed a Vianna Gutierrez delivery over the left center field fence; the homer gave King a 3-2 lead, exciting the King supporters and stunning the Taft fans.

At this point, King had three hits against Taft hitting for Games Two and Three – all three by Cassie DeLeon. 

King chased Vianna Gutierrez in the fourth as King put together a two-run rally without hitting the ball out of the infield.  With one out, Victoria Villagas reached on a two-base error, then scored when Seleena Lira reached on a two-base error.  One out later, Taft coach Scott Libby elected not to let the King lineup bat and third time against Gutierrez, and brought in game two winner Amanda Fries to pitch.  Jackie Vasquez reached on a tapper to Fries to put runners on first and third, then Felicia Leal hitting another grounder to the pitcher. 

Fries fielded the ball cleanly, and had a play at first on Leal, but appeared to forget there were two outs, throwing to the plate instead of to first.  Lira held at third, and Vasquez went to second; Leal was awarded a basehit. 

Then Jamie Arsuaga hit a grounder up the middle.  A diving Allie Gutierrez prevented the ball from going to the outfield, but her throw to second was too late to get the force play on Leal, allowing Lira to score, making it 5-2.  Gutierrez probably saved a run by preventing the ball from going to center field.  Fries struck out a hot-hitting DeLeon to end the top of the fourth. 

King added an insurance run in the fifth when Melanie Cavazos singled, went to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a grounder, and scored on a passed ball. 

Taft began their comeback in the bottom of the fifth.  Cassandra Carrillo drew a one-out walk, then with two out, she scored when Samantha Carrillo reached on a throwing error.

Taft added another run without a hit in the sixth.  With two out, King pitcher Lira was starting to tire.  She walked #8 hitter Raynelle Tagle, then walked #9 hitter Liz Rojo.  Allie Gutierrez walked to load the bases, then all the runners advanced on a wild pitch.   Tagle’s pinch runner Lauren Sweet scored to make it 6-4, setting up the astonishing comeback in the seventh.