TURLOCK, CA – The Yotes have completed two days of competition at the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, CA. They went 2-0 on day one and split the doubleheader on day two after a back-and-forth extra-inning show.
Game 1: CSUSB 3, SFU 1
The Red Leafs of SFU put a run up first, scoring on a fielder's choice to first base. They weren't in the lead for long after a triple from
Hayden Greene down the right field line would put the Yotes in immediate scoring position. A sac fly to center field by
Alyssa Martinez would earn the junior an RBI and bring Greene in to score.
Batters from both squads stepped up to the plate and quickly returned to their dugouts as both teams played tight defense and stayed grounded in the circle. Greene was up to bat again in the bottom of the fourth and hit a single down the third base line. Martinez would lay down a sac bunt to advance Greene into scoring position.
Alyssa Rodriguez came in to pinch hit and got her third RBI of the season with a double to center field that would bring Greene across the plate for the second time.
The Yotes would score again in the bottom of the fifth with two outs.
Kaylee Williamson doubled to right center field and was waived home on a single to center field by Greene.
Natalie Carlos got the win, improving her record this season to 5-1 after pitching just over five innings.
Samantha Vargas was credited with the save, the juniors first of the season. Between the two of them, they recorded seven strikeouts.
Game 2: CSUSB 9, Dominican 1
Alexis Aguado got on base first for the Yotes in the second game of the tournament. Aguado leads the team in stolen bases and tacked on one more after stealing second to bring her season total to 11. Williamson connected on a 1-0 count to single up the middle and bring Aguado in to score.
The Yotes would hold the lead to the third when a throwing error allowed the Penguins to tie the game. Greene swung on the first pitch of the third to get on base with a single. The junior from El Dorado Hills stole second to put herself in scoring position. She would advance to third on a sac bunt by Aguado and regain the lead for the Yotes after a fly out to center field by
Tereise Tosi. Williamson kept the momentum going and put a double down the left field line. Another double by Martinez would put the Yotes ahead 3-1.
Kyla Lowman walked on a full count to start the fourth for the Yotes. She advanced to second on a sac bunt and came in to score on a single by
Brooke Brazill. Aguado reached on a fielder's choice and made her stolen bases total 13 in stealing second. Tosi walked to load the bases for the Yotes. Williamson singled to right field on the first pitch she saw to bring in two Yotes and make the score 6-1.
Both teams would remain scoreless until the bottom of the sixth where a throwing error by the Penguins, a single by Williamson and an unearned run gave the Yotes the 9-1 lead and put into effect the eight-run rule to end the game.
Game 3: CSUSB 8, MSU 6
The Yotes and Billings battled it out into extra innings on Saturday morning. The Yoted put up four runs in the second inning with Martinez, Rodriguez,
Veronica Garza and Arianna Chavarria all coming in to score. Garza's two-run homer on an 0-1 pitch is the first homerun for the senior this season.
After holding the Billings to one run in the fourth inning, it looked like the Yotes were going to cruise to the third win of the tournament. The Billings fought back and put up three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and send the game into extra innings.
It was a back-and-forth game from there on. Martinez and Lowman came across home plate to put the Yotes up 6-4 but the Billings weren't done and tied up the game again on a fielder's choice and a single. Greene advanced to third on a bunt from Aguado and then came in to score on a full-count single to right field from Tosi. With two outs, Martinez flied out to center field, but Aguado tagged up to score and solidify the Yotes 8-6 win.
As a team, the Yotes recorded 27 putouts. This marks a new team high this season and is tied for the second most they've put up in the last four seasons. They utilized all of their weapons from a pitching standpoint, having Carlos, Vargas and
Brooklyn Blackmon each coming in to pitch three innings. The trio had four strikeouts in the 44 pitchers they faced. Vargas was credited with the win to put her at 13-8.
Game 4: CSUSB 1, APU 2
Martinez started it off for the Yotes by getting on with a single to third base. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third. Chavarria singled through the right side on a 2-2 count to bring Martinez in to score what would be the only point for the Yotes.
The Yotes would strand five runners on base in the entire game but would record six hits on the offensive end and had 18 putouts from the defensive end. Tosi led the team with seven followed by Garza from behind the plate with three.
The Yotes' first loss of the tournament goes to Vargas after pitching six full innings with 11 hits, two errors, two walks and three strikeouts.
Up Next
The Yotes will conclude their play at the Tournament of Champions tomorrow, April 2
nd, where they will face the Vikings of Western Washington University. First pitch is set for 10 AM. You can follow the action with the live stats here on our website!
To see the full CSUSB women's softball schedule, click HERE.
