Merced outlasts Atwater 1-0 in a pitchers duel between two of the top pitchers in the CCC
The Merced High softball team tightened its grip on first place atop the Central California Conference standings with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Atwater in a pitchers duel on Tuesday afternoon at Atwater High School.
Bears senior Melody Gomez fired a three-hit shutout, racking up 15 strikeouts and scored the winning run in the top of the seventh inning as she raced home from third on a bunt by sophomore Aleatha Buchner for the only run in the game.
The win gives the Bears (11-5 overall, 6-0 CCC) a two-game lead atop the conference ahead of Atwater and Golden Valley.
“This was a big game,” Gomez said. “We’re trying to come into each game hard this year. We’re trying to win CCC and we knew what was on the line today. We’ve struggled in past years, but we feel this is our year.”
Gomez’s emergence in the circle as the staff ace is a big reason Merced has ascended to the top of the league.
Cal State Fullerton-bound senior Trisha McCleskey was expected to shoulder most of the pitching load this season, but will be sidelined this year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Gomez improved to 9-4 with a 2.28 ERA this season. She has struck out 102 batters in just under 89 innings pitched.
“It’s been kind of exciting stepping up,” Gomez said. “No one knew who I was but all my teammates and coaches had confidence in me and that’s helped me be so good this season.”
Gomez was great against the Falcons (8-10-2 overall, 4-2 CCC), only allowing one runner to reach third base all game. Gomez needed to be on because Amelie Valdez has been one of the top pitchers in the CCC this season.
Valdez came into Tuesday’s game striking out 251 hitters in just over 117 innings pitched this season.
Valdez struck out 15 Bears hitters.
“We’ve faced some really good pitchers during the preseason and she’s just as good as anyone we’ve faced or anyone we’re going to face,” Kane said.
“This is exactly the type of game we thought it would be,” Kane added. “It was a matter of which team would flinch first.”
With both Gomez and Valdez exchanging zeroes on the scoreboard through the first six innings, Gomez gave the Bears their best scoring opportunity when she reached base to start the top of the seventh inning on a wind-aided double.
Gomez advanced to third on a ground out to first base.
Buchner then came up with a huge bunt that scored Gomez from third base to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
Atwater coach Jenna Boesch argued the call at home, but the call stood.
“My heart was beating so fast,” Buchner said. “I knew my teammates had my back no matter what. Once the bunt was down, I just sprinted to first. I couldn’t tell what happened behind me. I had no idea if (Gomez) scored because their coach was arguing with the umpire. It felt good when the run scored.”
With the one-run lead, Gomez went out in the seventh and struck out the side in order to close out the victory.
“She seemed to have some extra zip on the ball today,” Kane said. “She was aggressive when she needed to be, she did a great job.”
