Lani Evans recorded a no-hitter for Dos Pueblos in a Channel League game on Tuesday. (Presidio Sports Photos)
Lani Evans and the Dos Pueblos defense held San Marcos hitless on Tuesday but the Channel League victory over the Royals wasn’t a forgone conclusion. The game remained scoreless until the sixth inning when the Chargers scratched across a run against San Marcos’ Hailee Rios in a tight 1-0 decision.
Evans pitched seven innings and totaled 11 strikeouts while walking three. The righty did a good job of moving her pitches around the strike zone but the three free passes were on her mind afterwards.
“I felt pretty in control. The thing I just need to work on is my walks. I thought I walked a lot more than I should of,” Evans said.
Evans was an important player at the plate for the Chargers as well. The senior’s RBI double in the sixth inning scored Ali Milam from second base for the game-winning run.
“I got a little jammed but I tried to turn really hard and get through it. I thought because I had two strikes on me she was going to go up on me,” Evans said, adding that the pitch was inside.
Milam launched a leadoff double off the left-field fence to start the inning. The left-handed slugger lifted a fly ball to deep left that might have cleared the fence if not for the steady wind blowing in from that direction.
Ali Milam’s double in the sixth inning led to Dos Pueblos’ one run scored.
“She’s a really good hitter,” said Dos Pueblos head coach Jon Uyesaka of Milam. “She’s in the four spot because she’s got tons of power and that was a pop-up, off-hit that she put up there near the fence.”
The zero base hits didn’t completely dampen the mood for San Marcos, which hasn’t beaten the perennially powerful Chargers since 2007. Head coach Jeff Swann was pleased that his team pushed Dos Pueblos to the very end.
“I’m not concerned at all,” Swann said. “I’m really proud of the kids. Defensively they’re doing their jobs, we got great pitching, we got great catching, and they’re hitting the ball.
“Against a good pitcher like Lani, she’s going in and out, up and down and all over the place, it’s tough to find that good pitch that she doesn’t give you.”
Rios pitched a complete game for the Royals. The sophomore collected eight strikeouts in a six-inning four-hitter.
Madison Pickett and Madison Buie were responsible for Dos Pueblos’ other two hits.
The two teams are both coming up on extended breaks. The Chargers (7-3, 3-1) travel to Fillmore on Wednesday before a two-plus week hiatus in action until April 10.
San Marcos (7-4, 1-2) travels to Channel Islands on Wednesday for a non-league game and hosts Ventura on Friday in a league game. The Royals then take their own extended break until April 8.
Lauren Marmo slides safely into second base before San Marcos’ Aliyah Huerta-Leipner makes the tag.
Excellent photos! Thanks Presidio Sports!