Chaffey Softball Thrives in Double-Header
By Xavier Chavez
Heading into the double-header matchup versus the Barstow Lady Vikings, the Chaffey Panthers softball team boasted a winning 13-7 record, along with an undefeated 3-0 record in conference play.
In the other opposing dugout, Barstow has been less than stellar, coming in with a woeful 0-13 record and starting 0-2 in conference games.
The play on the field in both games showcased the difference in each team's record.
Barstow came out flat, failing to get a run early after stranding a runner that got on with a two-out single.
On the flip side, Chaffey came out on fire in the first inning. Earning six runs on five hits. A big time hit by Fernanda Cano with the bases loaded, cleared the bases for a quick three run shift on the scoreboard.
The second inning was more of the same for both teams as Barstow failed to score again. Chaffey continued to pile it on, increasing their lead to 10-0 thanks to two errors by Barstow’s defense and a couple capitalizing hits by the Panthers.
At the top of the third inning, the Lady Vikings once again failed to score a single run against an amazing Chaffey infield, despite their two hits and traffic around the bases.
On the bottom half of the inning, Chaffey was able to hit the ball thrice, bringing a run home for each. The Panthers were running away with this game by a wide margin, 13-0 at the end of the third.
In the fourth inning Barstow was shut out again with two strikeouts from Sarah Hernandez, who came in to relieve Bryanna Ortega. On the offensive end, Chaffey had three hits and four runs, continuing their dominance. A piercing double from Sarah Hernandez brought both Lauren Chappell and Raelene Diaz home to score.
The fifth inning was the last for the first match as Sarah Hernandez pitched three consecutive strikeouts to finish the game in a 17-0 victory for Chaffey.
After a short break, game two commenced with the exact game script of inning one from the previous match. Another 6-0 lead by the Panthers after the first inning had Barstow experiencing a bad case of déjà vu.
Flyballs turning into outs were a common occurrence during the second and third inning for both squads as neither team could come up with any scores.
However, at the bottom of the fourth inning the Panthers turned it back on, scoring four runs. Chaffey's success was assisted by stolen bases from both Raelene Diaz and Lauren Chappell.
Concluding the double-header with a popup, strikeout and groundout, the Panthers won 10-0 in decisive fashion.
Starting freshman pitcher for game two, Mia Britt, shined bright on the mound. She threw efficiently with 45 strikes on 64 pitches. This is no surprise after being named the Inland Empire Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week in late February.
“It's all good vibes,” Britt said postgame, crediting the team's success to “a lot of hard-work and dedication, pushing through the hard times and showing up everyday”.
When questioned about what the driving force behind this team’s winning season is, Britt explained that their preparation as a team and reliance on each other is what contributes to their success as a team.
Image courtesy of Xavier Chavez: Barstow and Chaffey coaches exchange friendly words after game two.
The 15-7 Chaffey Panthers softball team will be looking for its fourth consecutive win at Victor Valley on Wednesday, Mar. 18. Chaffey is undefeated in five conference games and they hope to defend their first seed.