No looking back now, Gauchos take CCC opener against Golden Valley

Many softball fans were introduced to the “look back” rule on Thursday afternoon as Golden Valley High’s Maddie Martinez was called out for leaving third base while El Capitan pitcher Cassie Gasper had the ball in the circle.

Instead of a bases-loaded opportunity with two outs in the eighth inning for Golden Valley, the game was over because a violation of the look back rule. El Capitan won 5-4 at Joe Herb Park.

Quite a welcome to the Central California Conference for the Gauchos.

As many people in the crowd were wondering what just happened, Golden Valley coach Ross Cruickshanks was eventually ejected for arguing the call.

“I hate when you take it out of the kids’ hands on a call like that,” Cruickshanks said. “That’s the main thing. The game should be decided by the kids. It was a good game. I hate to see it end that way.”

It was a controversial ending to an exciting game between two teams who are off to strong starts.

El Capitan (7-0-2, 1-0 CCC) battled back from a two-run deficit in the seventh inning with clutch RBI singles by Jayden Guerrero and Cassie Casper to tie the game at 4-4 and force extra innings.

“We’ve played other games this year where we’ve been down and had to come back,” said Gasper, who went the distance in the circle to pick up the win for the Gauchos. “We were pumped up. We were going to fight back with everything we had.”

The Gauchos then took the lead on a passed ball with two outs in the top of the eighth inning when Ariana Valenzuela raced home from third to give El Capitan a 5-4 lead.

The Cougars then threatened in the bottom of the eighth after Martinez and Marissa Bertuccio hit back-to-back singles with one out to give GV runners on second and third. Gasper then pitched around Christiane Grijalva to load the bases.

Gasper then struck out Paityn Minor with back-to-back rise balls for the second out.

Seconds later, Martinez was called out by the field umpire, siting the look back rule. The game was suddenly over.

According to the ASA fastpitch softball rule book, the look back rule specifies that when the pitcher has has the ball inside the pitcher’s circle, and does not attempt to make a play on any runner, then all runners who are on base must stay on the base.

The purpose of the rule is to speed the game along and prevent potential “cat and mouse games” by base runners trying to bait pitchers into making a bad throw.

El Capitan coach Chela Moreno saw Martinez wander off the base.

“I kept saying, ‘She’s in the circle. She’s in the cirlce,’” Moreno said. “I watched her go back to the base and the umpire saw it. We’re lucky to get that one. It was a great game.”

Gasper didn’t see what happened.

“I didn’t see her,” she said. “I was walking back, getting ready to face the next batter. I just wanted to shut them down so we didn’t have to play any more extra innings.”

Lucky in that the Gauchos overcame five errors. El Capitan committed three errors that helped the Cougars score three runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead. Grijalva delivered the big two-run single during the inning.

Bertuccio, who pitched and finished with 11 strikeouts for GV, added a solo home run in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 4-2.

The Cougars looked to be in good shape. It’s a GV team that was playing without starting catcher Vanessa Saltos, who is sidelined with a thumb injury. Saltos’ absence caused a domino effect with many GV players having to change positions. Shortstop Michaela Key has moved to catcher. Center fielder Siyra Munoz moved from the outfield to shortstop. Left fielder Brandy Colomer moved over to center field and Paula Davis is now in left field.

“I thought we were in good shape with that two-run lead,” Cruickshanks said. “I did think we had it. (El Capitan) battled. They got that hit to lead off the seventh. It is what it is. It’s only one game.”

It was the bottom of the Gauchos order that triggered the seventh-inning rally for the Gauchos. Chloe Cardenas led off the seventh with a single and Valenzuela walked to start the seventh.

One out later, Guerrero (4-for-5 with two doubles and 2 RBIs), singled in Cardenas to cut the lead to 4-3. Then with two outs, Gasper lined a single to center to plate Kaylee Guerrero with the tying run.

“Our hitters today – one through nine – all came through,” Gasper said. “The hitters at the bottom of the lineup got on base for the top of the order in the seventh. That just pumped everybody up.”

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 8:02 PM with the headline "No looking back now, Gauchos take CCC opener against Golden Valley."