By Mark Kusenberger
tsrnsports.com
Special to SAsports.com

Let’s see, Taft goes into their half of the seventh trailing a team wearing green, forces extra innings, then wins in the tenth.

Are we talking about Game 3 of the Taft-King bi-district series, or Game 2 of the Taft-Reagan area round series?

Of course, the answer is both.

Danie Lopez scored the tying run in the seventh, then April Barba scored the winning run in the tenth inning of Taft’s 4-2 victory over Reagan North East Softball Stadium West Saturday evening.

Taft’s sweep sets up a third-round series with Smithson Valley.  The teams met in a non-district game earlier this season and in a playoff series two years ago. 

 Taft took an early lead against Julie Hoyack, scoring a run in the peculiar fashion that is becoming their trademark.  Allie Gutierrez led off the game with a single to left and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  One out later, Desirae Soto hit an infield single to the shortstop, moving Gutierrez to third.  With runners at first and third, Samantha Carrillo hit a grounder to the first baseman Jorden Smith.  Smith threw the ball home, but catcher Kelsie Collins made no effort to tag Gutierrez; her run gave Taft a 1-0 lead.  Hoyack struck out Danie Lopez and induced a popup by Alex Garcia to end the threat.

Reagan took the lead in the third against eventual winner Amanda Fries.  With one out, Kayla Hansen drew a four-pitch walk; Kayla Blucher singled her to second.  Colleen Carrera sacrificed them both forward a base for the second out.  Then Jori Fox hit a ground ball to shortstop; a poor throw allowed Hansen and Blucher to score, putting Reagan ahead 2-1. 

For three innings, it appeared that would be enough to force a game three.  Sophomore Julie Hoyack was nothing short of masterful, finishing the game with 8 strikeouts and no walks.  With the riseball and changeup working for Hoyack, Taft made only three groundball outs – all on bunts. 

But in the seventh, Taft again showed the look of a team of destiny.  With the Raiders trailing 2-1, Danie Lopez led off the seventh with a basehit.  Alex Garcia tried bunting twice, falling behind in the count 0-2.  Next, Garcia fouled off two 1-2 pitches before smashing the ball one foot short of the top of the left field wall.  Her double struck the wall above the first “0” in the “200” painted five feet to the right of the left field foul pole, barely missing a go-ahead homer but advancing Lopez to third.  The next pitch, the Reagan shortstop booted a Rachel Rivera grounder, allowing Lopez to score the tying run and Garcia to go to third.  Still with nobody out, Raynelle Tagle popped up to the shortstop Geena Garcia, then Liz Rojo bunted to the third baseman; Aubrey Cavazos’ throw home was in time, as catcher Kelsie Collins’ tag retied Garcia for the second out.  Allie Gutierrez struck out looking to send the game to the bottom of the seventh. 

Reagan advanced runners to third in the seventh and eighth innings, but could not push across the winning run.  Then the Lady Raider magic struck again. 

Liz Rojo led off the 10th with a single to left field; her courtesy runner April Barba, who scored the winning run against King in the bi-district round’s Game 3, went to second on a Allie Gutierrez sacrifice.  Cassandra Carrillo bunted Barba to second, then Cassandra Carrillo also bunted.  The third baseman threw the ball away; Carrillo was awarded a single, with Barba scoring and Carrillo going to second on an error, and Taft going ahead 3-2.  Soto then singled to center; Taft coach Scott Libby held Cassandra Carrillo at third, but the center fielder’s throw home went to the backstop, allowing Carrillo to score to make it 4-2 Taft.  When Soto tried to go to third on the play, Reagan catcher Kelsie Collins threw her out at third for the second out.  With the bases empty, Samantha Carrillo popped up to short to end the Taft 10th. 

Only eight pitches were thrown in the Taft 10th. 

Now Taft was three outs away from a sweep, but Amanda Fries had thrown 144 pitches.  Jorden Smith reached on an error to lead off the Reagan 10th, then her pinch runner Casey Simmons went to second on a single up the middle by Jessica Titman.  With the tying runs on base, Coach Libby brought in Vianna Gutierrez to pitch.  Gutierrez, who one-hit Reagan in Game One Friday, got Collins to fly out to left, then struck out Aubrey Cavazos and Geena Garcia swinging to earn the save and clinched a berth in the third round for Taft. 

Fries went 9+ innings for the victory, giving up 9 hits and 2 runs, both unearned, walking 4 and striking out 6.