Hailee Rios fanned a game-high 17 batters on Friday. (Presidio Sports Photos)
In a game with 33 strikeouts, Dos Pueblos made just enough contact to earn a 6-2 Channel League victory at San Marcos on Friday.
San Marcos’ pitcher, Hailee Rios, collected a game-high 17 strikeouts while counterpart Lani Evans posted 16. Along with her strikeout total, Evans carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning until Rios slapped a two-run single into left field to break up the no-no.
“I don’t like to think about (the no-hitter) because then I ruin it and I’m unhappy, so I just try to shut it out as much as possible,” Evans said.
Evans retired the next four batters to end the game.
Dos Pueblos scored one run in the first inning, three more in the third, and added its final two runs in the seventh on a two-run homer by pinch-hitter Jade Sinskul.
With Bailey King on base, Sinskul connected on a 3-2 pitch and cleared the center-field fence.
“I felt it when it hit off the bat, it was all power and pop,” Sinskul said.
There was a brief rain delay in the third inning while a shower passed through. The players played through it for a few minutes before the umpires cleared the field. Play resumed after a little less than 10 minutes.
It was the first time Dos Pueblos had faced Rios, a freshman.
“(Rios) has a really good rise ball and I saw a couple drop balls and I thought they had really good movement,” Evans said. “I think she looks great for a freshman. She looks awesome.”
Dos Pueblos, the No. 1 team in the Southern Section’s Division 4, improves to 3-0 in league play.
The Royals fall to 0-2 in league play but head coach Jeff Swann liked his team’s showing on Friday playing against the top team in their division.
“We know that they were afraid of us as the game progressed. We knew that they were thinking ‘wait, we should be killing these guys.’ So for us it’s a small victory and we can build on it, ” Swann said.
San Marcos plays again on Tuesday at Ventura, then at Santa Barbara on Friday.
The Chargers have a bye on Tuesday followed by Ventura on Friday.
LINESCORE
DP 103 000 2 – 6 7 0
SM 000 002 0 – 2 1 3DP – Evans, and Catalan, Sinskul (7). SM – Rios, and Herrera.
