Bettis’ sac fly the difference as Atwater softball beats El Capitan

Katie Bettis was determined to do a job.

With runners on second and third and one down in the top of the eighth inning, the Atwater junior had just come up empty on a pair of bunt attempts. Bettis didn’t hang her head after the failed execution, fighting back until she got a pitch she could put in play.

The lefty flicked a fly ball into left-center field that was deep enough to score Eileen Martinez from third. The sacrifice fly proved the difference as the Falcons outlasted El Capitan 1-0 in eight innings on Thursday afternoon.

“I was just thinking I need to get this ball in play so we can win,” Bettis said. “I needed to focus on my at-bat and not worry about not getting the bunt down. I was just in hit it mode. If the ball was there, I needed to get it in play.”

It was an exciting conclusion to a tense game that always appeared destined to be decided by a single run.

Senior hurlers Cheyenne Mahy and Cassie Gasper turned in the pitcher’s duel you’d expect from the two MVP candidates. Mahy allowed just four hits and struck out 16. Gasper matched her out for out, scattering eight hits and striking out eight.

Gasper made it clear runs would be at a premium right away as she fought her way out of trouble in the opening inning.

A Martinez walk and Maritza Iglesias single put two on with no outs for Atwater (5-2-1, 2-0 Central California Conference). Gasper answered back against the heart of the Falcon order, inducing three straight ground balls to escape the inning unscathed. Gasper was at her best with runners on, holding Atwater 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position through the first seven innings.

It took a couple innings, but El Capitan (7-1-2, 1-1 CCC) started putting some good swings on Mahy the second time through the order as Aubrey Aponte broke up the no-hitter with a lead-off double in the fourth inning. Mahy also responded, stranding Aponte at third.

The right-hander proved herself equally adept at pitching out of trouble as the Gauchos put the go-ahead run in scoring position in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings, but went 0 for 5 with a chance to go in front.

“It just took us a bit too long,” El Cap coach Chela Moreno said. “We had some hits, we had runners on base. We had chances, but didn’t get the big hit today.

“I liked how the girls stayed up on each other. They knew Cassie was pitching a great game, and Chey was too. It came down to just one inning. Sometimes that’s the way it goes.”

Martinez opened the eighth with a lead-off double to center. Mahy followed with a one-out single up the middle, but Martinez froze on the line drive and had to be held at third. That set up Bettis’ heroics.

“This was a great win,” Atwater coach Robert Santistevan. “I felt we had good at-bats all game and put pressure on them. This is how we expect league to be with a lot of close ballgames. It makes every at-bat important, because one run may be all that you get.”

Buhach Colony 3, Golden Valley 0 in Merced – Tatiana Anderson tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out five to help the Thunder (9-4, 1-1 CCC) pick up their first league win.

Buhach pushed across three runs in the fifth inning, including an Anderson squeeze.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 10:08 PM with the headline "Bettis’ sac fly the difference as Atwater softball beats El Capitan."