San Marcos won a wild non-league softball game at Santa Ynez, scoring two in the eighth inning and holding off the Pirates in the bottom of the inning to prevail 8-7.
Santa Ynez scored one run in the bottom of the eighth and had runners on second and third with 1 out. But Royals pitcher Hailee Rios struck out the last two batters for the win.
Santa Ynez tied the score at 6-6 in the sixth inning.
After a scoreless 7th inning, Veronica Villarreal led off the eighth for San Marcos with a single. Cara Christian reached on a fielder’s choice, removing Villarreal from the bases. Rios was hit by a pitch for the second time to move Christian to second base. Sarah Douglas reached on a fielders choice, but Christian and Rios were both safe, loading the bases. Lyanna Gonzalez followed with an RBI single scoring Christian. Sabrina Gonzalez (Lyana’s cousin), singled to score Rios for an 8-6 lead.
Rios, Christian, Villarreal, Sienna Derlinger, Lyana Gonzalez and Stephanie Swann all had two hits for San Marcos (9-10). Lyana Gonzalez had three RBIs, while Cristian, Swann and Sabrina Gonzalez each drove in one run.
Rios struck out 14 Pirates en route to her seventh win.
