Dos Pueblos returned to its winning ways in softball on Tuesday, blanking crosstown rival 7-0 in a Channel League game at home.
The Chargers were coming off an emotional league win over Buena on Friday and two one-run losses on Saturday at the Thousand Oaks Tournament, where they were missing some players, coach Jon Uyesaka noted. They were at full strength and full of energy against San Marcos.
Lani Evans and Madison Pickett combined on a three-hitter, Ady Willett hit a two-run inside-the-park home run, Evans hit a blistering shot to the fence in right field for a triple and the Chargers took advantage of San Marcos miscues in the field.
“Today was a good showing,” DP coach Jon Uyesaka said.
The win, combined with Buena’s 4-3 loss against Ventura, gives the Chargers a two-game lead in the standings. They’re 8-1 and second-place Buena is 5-3.
Dos Pueblos got things going in the second inning. With Monica Salas on first with an infield single, Willett hit a sinking liner to center field. The ball skipped under the glove of a diving San Marcos center fielder and rolled to the fence. The speedy Willett came all the way around to score, giving the Chargers a 2-0 lead.
Lyanna Gonzalez drew a one-out walk off Evans and Stephanie Swann singled to center for San Marcos in the third inning. But Evans retired the next two batters on a pop-out bunt in foul territory and a called strike three.
Dos Pueblos (17-5, 8-1) broke the game open in the bottom of the third. With one out, Evans ripped a ball over the head of the right fielder for a triple. Melissa Spink came in to run for Evans and she scored on a fielder’s choice by Kai Uyesaka, as the Royals tried to get the runner at the plate. Uyesaka advanced to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball and Salas walked. San Marcos freshman pitcher Hailee Rios stepped up and struck out the next two batters to escape further damage.
“She pitched great,” San Marcos coach Jeff Swann said of Rios. “She didn’t have a lot of support. We had three physical errors, four mental errors and a couple of passed balls and wild pitches.”
An error on a ball hit by Jade Sinskul scored Uyesaka for the fourth run in the in the fifth inning.
San Marcos (1-6 in league) got two runners on against new DP pitcher Madison Pickett with two outs in the sixth, but the sophomore got the third out on a strikeout.
Back-to-back hits by Michelle Romero and Pickett keyed a three-run sixth for the Chargers. A Lexi Catalan pop up was dropped, allowing Romero and Pickett to score. Salas singled in Catalan for the final run.
