Lompoc Catcher Lauren Lopes had two very complete games on Tuesday. Her usual excellent work behind the plate, her rifle arm, her hitting prowess, and leadership abilities were all on display.
SOFTBALL
Best of the West Tournament
The fierce winds that struck throughout the region were certainly in evidence at the Hagerman Softball Complex in Santa Maria during the Righetti HS Best of the West Tournament on Tuesday. That didn't stop Lompoc - they beat Atascadero 8-5 and Paso Robles 4-3 to advance to the Consolation Final on Wednesday at 1 pm..
Behind strong pitching performances by Jeana Carrillo, with some relief from Paty Martinez, Lompoc shut out the opposition in the 1st 3 innings of both contests. The Braves also received some clutch hitting, led by Lauren Lopes, to post 4-run innings in both games.
Game 3:
Lompoc were the 'visitors' in this one, and the Braves struck early. After two outs, 1B Dana Campitelli hit a sharp grounder to 2B where the ball hopped,and ricocheted off the players leg over behind second base. Dana beat out the throw, and a walk put runners on 1st & 2nd. A Catrina Chill flyball brought home a run. The ball dropped in between the shortstop & an outfielder and creative base-running combined with less-than-accurate throws. In the bottom half of the inning, Carrillo made short work of the Greyhounds - striking out the first two she faced, allowed a single, then forced a grounder to short.
Martinez led off the next session with a walk. Hillary Davis bunted, and a throwing error put runners on the corners. Jherriann Lopez walked to load the bases, and Mariah La Shore's deep fly to center scored Martinez. Following a strikeout, Lopes strode to the plate - 2 on, 2 out. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, and Lauren launched one of "Lopes Lasers" deep for a 2-run triple. She scored when a pop-up to 3rd was dropped, and the runner was safe at first base.
The Braves added another run in the third, an two in the fourth. La Shore collected an RBI with her grounder in number three after the bases were loaded (walk, single - Davis, error). Davis led off the fourth with a triple and Carrillo singled her home. Then another a fly ball - a collision between players, a drop, and base-running adventures allowed another run. Martinez single put runners on 1st & 3rd, but Lompoc would not score again. Courtesy Runner Betty Sullivan, had a stolen base and run scored.
Carrillo meantime had shaken off some trouble in the 2nd (2 singles & a walk to load the bases with 1 out) by inducing a shallow fly ball and a routine grounder to short. The only batter to reach base in the next nine she faced did so via an error on a ground ball. That runner, in the 3rd, stole second, but was mowed down when she tried to steal 3rd base. Lopes throw and Monica Tuomi's tag nailed her. In that span Carrillo struck out 5 , including 4 in a row, the last two of the fourth and the 1st two of the fifth.
Then things went a bit haywire - 5 consecutive hits. Four singles sandwiched around a 2-run triple, with the 3rd single bringing home another run. Martinez pitched the 6th, giving up 2 more runs on a walk, an error, and a double to left. The game was called after six innings due to time limits.
It was definitely NOT summer conditions at the ballpark.
Game 4: A Tale of two half-innings. Lompoc vs Paso Robles (6-4 winners over Pioneer Valley).
Jeana Carillo was in the circle again for this one, an error allowed the leadoff batter to reach safely, but Jeana quickly retired the next three on a strikeout and two ground balls. Another error in the second also put a runner on base, but she struck-out two batters to end the inning. The third was 3 up, 3 down.
The Bearcats CF, Lauren Redberg, started it off in the fourth with a leadoff single. That was followed by a bunt sacrifice, a fielder's choice, and a stolen base which had runners at 2nd & 3rd. A ground ball led to out number two, without the runners advancing, but a walk loaded the bases. A wild pitch brought one run in, and a single brought in two more, but the batter was erased at third on a nice throw from Lopes. She was trying to stretch the advantage after reaching second on the fielder's choice throw to the plate.
Meanwhile the Braves were getting nowhere with Paso pitcher Alexa Munoz, sending only 13 batters to the plate in their first four innings. They had 2 baserunners, both on walks -and one of them was cut down attempting to steal second. Paty Martinez finally got a hit to lead off the fifth. Lopez's bunt attempt resulted in a out at 1st and a wide throw at second moved her to third. A sacrifice fly by Stephanie Baca to deep left field got the Braves on the scoreboard. Then the parade began - Shandee Berryman, Tawny Nunes, and Elicity Fabing all singled to the left side of the infield to load the bases. Lopes came to the plate and hit a ball that the shortstop threw wide of the bag at 1st and two runs scored. Campitelli's single then plated one more.
Martinez replaced Carrillo at the top of the fourth, and allowed a single, and a balk, but she also recorded a strikeout and got out of the inning without damage. Her problems were in the fifth. Alexa Munoz laced a shot to left field that Melissa Morrison's throw held to a double. Unfortunately, a wild pitch moved her to third. A walk then put the winning run on base. Back in came Carrillo, but with the tying run on 3rd Lompoc couldn't prevent Megan Donovan from taking second. A ground ball followed, with the runners unable to advance, but Carrillo walked the next batter to load the bases. She atoned for that glitch, however, by fanning the last two batters of the inning on 7 pitches.
There were two Paso singles in the seventh, compounded by a Lompoc error that again loaded the bases. But Carrillo pounced on a weak come-backer, flipped to Lopes at the plate, who rifled the ball to Campitelli at first for the rare 1-2-3 double play to end the game.
Other Scores:
Santa Maria lost 10-0 to Dos Pueblos, lost 10-0 to Notre Dame
Righetti Won 4-2 over Buena, lost 6-1 to Chaminade
Nipomo lost 6-2 to Pacifica
NOTE: The complete Tournament results will be posted Wednesday afternoon or evening. Depends on when I finish my taxes !!
OTHER SPORTS SCORES
Baseball:
Templeton beat Lynbrook 13-3, beat Channel Islands 8-7
Morro Bay lost to Pajaro Valley 7-6
Volleyball - Dos Pueblos 3, Santa Ynez 0 [25-15, 25-21, 25-22]
Golf - Santa Ynez 426, San Marcos 441
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