Los Banos softball walks off with big WAC victory
Los Banos High School’s softball team has shown it’s not afraid to play from behind.
Dustin Caropreso’s squad used three come-from-behind victories to capture the Gold bracket at the NorCal Classic a couple weeks ago. The Tigers’ composure in the clutch was on display again Tuesday evening against El Capitan.
Los Banos trailed 6-4 but rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Victoria Cortinas walked the Tigers off in the seventh with a run-scoring single to complete the comeback and secure a 7-6 victory over the Gauchos.
“The one thing I’ll say about this team is, they’re a resilient bunch,” Caropreso said. “We were down 6-3 at one point, but I never saw panic. They looked like a group that believed they could come back and win.”
The Tigers (16-2, 6-1 Western Athletic Conference) had to do it against one of the top pitchers in the area. El Capitan senior Cassie Gasper was named the Cal-Hi Sports Northern California Softball Player of the Week earlier in the day after striking out 33 in two games last week. Gasper had eight strikeouts against Los Banos, but Caropreso said the Tigers were able to chip away at her in the later innings.
Los Banos took a 3-0 lead in the first, thanks to a two-run double by Savannah Valenzuela. The sophomore catcher had a big day at the plate, going 4 for 4 with three doubles and three RBIs.
El Capitan (11-5-2, 4-3) answered with a five-run third. Caropreso said the Gauchos loaded the bases with two infield singles and a hit batter. McKenzie Schumacher quickly unloaded them with a bases-clearing double. Gasper and Loren Boggs added RBI doubles for a 5-3 lead.
Los Banos shortstop Ali Waltman delivered a two-run double to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth.
The Tigers won it in the next inning. Valenzuela led off with a double, and Cortinas drove in a courtesy runner with her only hit of the game, keeping Los Banos one game behind first-place Ceres (14-3, 7-0) in the WAC standings. The loss sets up a showdown for the Gauchos at Pacheco on Thursday in a battle for the league’s final playoff spot.
“We by no means played our best softball,” Caropreso said. “We didn’t field very well. We had trouble throwing strikes. Some of our at-bats were good, followed by some bad ones, but we still found a way to win. More importantly, the win keeps us in the title race and gives us something to aim for going forward.”
Pacheco 12, Livingston 2 in Livingston – Kayla Valdez, Yosselin Castillo, Alia Garcia and Shyanne Vargas all drove in two runs as the Panthers (9-6-1, 4-3 WAC) moved into a tie for third with El Capitan.
Autumn Randles allowed two unearned runs and four hits while striking out nine in the victory.
Girls soccer
Golden Valley 5, Atwater 1 in Merced – Jaylin Meza stayed hot for the Cougars (10-2-6, 4-2-4 CCC), scoring twice and setting up two goals in a rout of the Falcons.
Griselda Marquez put Atwater (1-9 CCC) on the board in the second half.
Boys volleyball
Stone Ridge Christian 3, Central Valley 0 in Merced – Jonathan Collazo (10) turned in his second double-digit kill total in as many days as the Knights (11-1, 9-1 WAC) swept the Hawks at home 25-20, 25-22, 25-20.
Davis Greenwood paced Stone Ridge with 15 assists and six aces.
Boys golf
El Capitan 239, Pacheco 335 in Merced – Christopher Giardina (45), Anthony Lizdas (45) and Tyler Dietz (47) turned in sub-50 rounds as the Gauchos (9-4, 6-3 WAC) rolled Pacheco at Merced Golf & Country Club.
Eric Olague paced the Panthers (0-9 WAC) with a 56.
Boys tennis
Merced 5, Pitman 4 in Turlock – Colin Rabago rallied from a set down to defeat Pitman’s Nick Gianfortone 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles as the Bears (7-2 CCC) picked up a big conference win.
Atwater 8, Golden Valley 1 in Atwater – Eduardo Delgadillo’s straight-set victory at No. 1 singles set the tone as the Falcons (3-6 CCC) almost swept the Cougars.
Jose Falconi provided the Cougars’ lone point with a 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 (tiebreak) victory.
Los Banos 9, Pacheco 0 – Quentin Barcellos, Jared Haug, Jack Gerstenberg, Michael Butler and Max Bell produced 6-0, 6-0 victories as the Tigers swept their crosstown rival.
College baseball
Fresno City 5, Merced College 3 in Merced – Fernando Galindo’s two-run double in the top of the 10th inning was the difference as the Rams pulled out a road win.
Brandon Adame turned in four innings of shutout relief and was one out away from escaping the 10th-inning jam when Galindo ripped a ball into the left-center gap. Adame struck out five and surrendered two hits in the loss.
This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Los Banos softball walks off with big WAC victory."