COD Softball splits doubleheader with the Monarchs, 7-6 & 14-4

COD (11-10) won a hotly contested, extra inning game in game one, then was mercied in game two as the Roadrunners won game one of the doubleheader, 7-6 then fell to the Los Angeles Valley Monarchs (16-8) in six innings, 14-4 in game two.

In game one, Desert got onto the board first, scoring sophomore short stop and leadoff hitter, Briana Alcorn (Indio H.S.) in the bottom of the first, on a single to center by freshman right handed starting pitcher Lauren Robinson (La Quinta H.S.) and giving the Roadrunners an early 1-0 lead.

LA Valley would tie the score at 1-1 in the top of the second inning, but the Roadrunners would get that run back in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore third baseman Areli Moreno (Indio H.S.) double to center, scoring Alcorn and giving Desert a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately, the Monarchs would tie the game again, this time on a passed ball, in the top half of the sixth, making the score 2-2. This score would carry over into extra innings, then in the top of the eighth, LA Valley grabbed two more runs to take a 4-2 lead, but the Roadrunners would not relent, tying the game again in the bottom half of the eighth.

Robinson would hit a one out double to left, scoring Moreno and then freshman second baseman Jacqueline Bolha (Yucca Valley H.S.) tied the game on a one out single to right field, scoring freshman pinch runner Cassandra Camacho (Thermal Coachella Valley), tying the game at 4-4.

The Monarchs would take the lead again in the top of the ninth, taking a 5-4 lead, but Desert would tie the game aging in the bottom half of the frame, when Alcorn slugged a one out single to center, scoring freshman pinch runner Leilani Silva (Salton City West Shores), tying the game at 5-5.

LA Valley would once again, take a one run lead, but Desert would win the game in the bottom of the tenth, when Bolha was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. Then freshman center fielder Carmina Camarena (Rancho Mirage H.S.), who in the top half of the inning made a mistake that gave the Monarchs the lead, redeemed herself by crushing a walk-off double to center, scoring Robinson and freshman catcher Natalie Avila (Rancho Mirage H.S.), winning the game, 7-6.

Game two was a tough one for the Roadrunners, as LA Valley scored three runs in the top of the first, chasing the Desert starting pitcher.

The Roadrunners would get a run back in the bottom of the second, when Robinson scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman left fielder Aleyna Velasquez (Palm Desert H.S.), keeping the game within two runs, 3-1.

Then the Monarchs would add three runs in the third and five runs in the fourth, giving the visitors an 11-1 lead.

Desert, leaning on mercies door, kicked open the door and said, "not now," as the Roadrunners hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs in the bottom of the fourth, Camarena would hit a shot to right field and Bolha hit a shot to left field. Later in the inning, freshman second baseman Giselle Maldonado (Rancho Mirage H.S.) scored on a wild pitch to close the gap, 11-4.

Unfortunately, a three run outburst by LA Valley in the top of the sixth would end the game in the sixth.

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Michael Leone Photography (f8leone@yahoo.com).