Vintage’s big two-out rally in second inning leads them past Napa in first Big Game softball
By Kyle Foster, photo courtesy of Don Lex (LuckyDuckImages.com)
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
It goes without saying but getting the last out of an inning can be the hardest out to get.
So when a team mounts two-out rallies, they are going to be hard to beat. That was the case in Tuesday’s first Big Game softball of the year when Vintage beat Napa 12-1 in five innings.
The win for Vintage ends a brief two-game winning streak by Napa in Big Game as well. It’s also Vintage skipper Robert Poppe’s first Big Game win since taking over in the 2019 season.
“It’s very rewarding to get our first (Big Game) win,” Poppe said. “My first year here we played Napa twice, both were very close games and I believe we lost both of them by one run. So we focused on that coming into the game.”
In this game, the Grizzlies (1-4 overall, 1-3 Vine Valley Athletic League) scored first. It came in the bottom of the when Alana Valentine led off the inning with a solo home run to center field. It was also the second long ball of the year for Valentine.
“She’s been hitting well,” Napa manager Ron Walston said. “She’s been hitting the ball well. Her on-base percentage is way up there, so she’s really doing well.”
From there, Vintage (4-0, 3-0 VVAL) took over. They pushed seven runs across in the Shelby Morse singled and then scored on a Camila Barboza single. After walking, Brianna Perez would later score on a Jordan Allen double. Barboza and Allen later came home on a Bianca Avalos single. An Emily Vanderbilt triple would plate Brianna Allen who had singled and Avalos. Lastly, a Morse single brought in Vanderbilt.
The big thing that inning was the Crushers scored six runs with two outs.
“We’ve been working on it for practice,” Poppe explained. “You’re never out of the game, you’re always in the game. (A) two-out rally we really believe can start with any of our bats at the plate.”
“I think our coach makes it pretty clear that even if it’s two-out we still need to work till it’s three out,” Vintage junior catcher Brianna Perez said. “So I think the girls grasp that a little more. That actually showed way more in this game. I think we executed very well.”
In the fifth, the Crushers added five more. It all started when Barboza singled and came home on a Jordan Allen single. Barboza later scored on a bases-loaded walk by Brianna Allen. Jordan Allen scored on another bases juiced walk. A Morse single brought in Tayor Lauritsen who had singled and Brianna Allen.
Getting the win on the afternoon was Raimy Gamsby. In four innings of work, she allowed one hit and one run. She also struck out nine and had no walks. Morse added an inning of work in relief getting two strikeouts.
Both teams will be back in action again on Thursday at 4 pm in VVAL play. They will both also be at home. Napa will host Sonoma Valley. Meanwhile, Vintage will host Casa Grande-Petaluma.
In other VVAL action Tuesday, American Canyon beat Petaluma 9-5. Also, Redwood beat Sonoma Valley 10-0 in a non-league contest. Yesterday, Casa Grande beat Justin-Siena 11-5.
