Winningham Walks It Off for Saddleback, Cats Advance
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
Bakersfield, Calif. – The Saddleback Bobcats won a walk-off thriller over San Diego Mesa, 4-3, to advance through the losers bracket on Friday at Cal State Bakersfield.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After trailing early and battling back to even the score at three, the Bobcats' Lola Winningham doubled home Tessa Arciniega to keep Saddleback's championship hopes alive.
San Diego Mesa opened the scoring in the first. Ariele Torres knocked a sac fly to left, bringing home Itzel Soto for the game's first run. That lead quickly evaporated in the bottom half of the inning. Saddleback's No. 3 hitter, Ka'ui Garcia ripped a homer to center, evening the score at one.
The Olympians added one more in the second when AnaSophia Zeigler drew a walk with the bases loaded. Kylee Cammarato, the Bobcats starting pitcher, navigated out of trouble in the frame, then allowed one more in the fourth as the Olympians grew their lead to the biggest of the game – 3-1.
Colette Howren replaced Cammarato in the circle and turned in 3.2 shutout innings of relief. After allowing six runs to San Mateo in game one, Howren was lights out for the Bobcats.
Saddleback evened up the score in the fourth. Mikayla Mendoza scored on a wild pitch then later in the inning, Ehva Cifuentes-Zombulovic hit the Bobcats second homer of the game, another solo shot to center.
The score stayed at a stalemate, 3-3, before the walkoff in the seventh.
STAND OUT PERFORMERS/NOTES
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Howren's final line was 3.2 IP, 0 R, 2 Hits, 1 BB, 4 SO
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Saddleback's walkoff was the first in the state tournament since Brianna Chambers Lee hit a walkoff homer for West Valley a season ago, beating El Camino 4-3
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The Bobcats earned their first 3C2A Softball State Championship Tournament win in 27 years.
UP NEXT
Saddleback advances through the losers bracket to take on Cosumnes River at 5 p.m. today back at Bakersfield College. The Hawks lost to San Mateo in the winner's game, 7-2. San Diego Mesa ends their season after reaching their first-ever state tournament, closing the year at 30-15.
Courtesy of Joe Perrino, 3CFCA SID