Key second inning defense and offensive rally leads Vintage past Napa in first Big Game and league opener

By Kyle Foster

Kfost91197@gmail.com

Follow on Twitter/X: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews

In games, one play often changes the whole outcome. Nowhere is the more true in softball where momentum is key to have in your dugout. 

In Friday’s Vine Valley Athletic League opener at the softball field at Vintage, this is what happened when the host Crushers used a massive second inning on both sides of the ball to beat Napa High, 10-0, in six innings. 

 The top half of the second inning saw Napa (3-3, 0-1 VVAL) have a rally going when they were down just 1-0. It all started when Jessye Wood walked and Bella Cook reached on a bunt single to put a pair of runners on base with no outs. Then a hard line drive to Raines over at first led to a double play and got Vintage out of the jam. 

“I feel like it was really easy for us to roll over on because when we get momentum, I feel like my team does really good at keeping up that momentum and rolling over and getting hits and helping pick each other up,” Vintage senior Mia Griffith said of the importance of getting out of the second inning jam. “So I think that Ava’s double was a really good motivational start to the game.”

This was a turning point because from that point on the Crushers scored nine runs without ever being in trouble when it came to allowing a run as well. Despite that, Napa High head coach Ron Walston thought his team took some good at-bats but weren’t necessarily rewarded like they should’ve been. 

“I think we hit a lot of balls, (but) we just hit it right at them and we hit some balls hard,” Walston explained. “Some days it happens and they don’t get through.”

Immediately in the game, Griffith made a difference as well. Taylor Lauritsen singled before stealing second and moving to third on a wild pitch. Then a sacrifice fly to center field by Griffith brought in Lauritsen. 

“At that point in the game, to get a solid hit,” Griffith said of her sacrifice fly in the first. “It turned into a sac fly, which is good for my team. But it wasn’t planned.” 

The other RBI came in the second, where Vintage (3-1, 1-0 VVAL) scored four times. With the bases loaded, she grounded out to short for a fielder’s choice where he sister Desiree Griffith who had walked to get on base earlier. 

Before that, Ava Raines and Brianna Allen were hit by a pitch and later scored when Angie Rubalcava reached by way of an error. On that same play, another throwing error allowed everyone to score. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Crushers scored four more times to gain a 9-0 lead. It all started when Mia Griffith singled and got to second when Devin Viruet reached on an error. The next at-bat saw a single by Abygail Sims bring in Griffith. Following a walk by Allen to load the bases, Rubalcava hit a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Viruet. A bases-loaded walk to Desiree Griffith brought in Sims. A sacrifice fly to right off of Lauritsen’s bat then brought in Allen. 

The game ended in the sixth when Noelle Rofkahr was hit by a pitch and Allen singled to put runners on first and second. A single to left-center by Cienna Alvarez brought in Rofkahr and ended the game.   

In the game, the oldest Griffith went 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. This continues a great start to her senior season. 

“Mia is new to the three-hole for our team,” Vintage head coach Megan Lopez explained. “I just think that the ball is coming at so big right now and she’s just striking at perfect pitches.”

Others leading the way for Vintage were Lauritsen (1-for-2 run, RBI, stolen base, walk), Allen (1-for-2 walk, 2 runs), Dessiana Garcia (1-for-2), Viruet (1-for-4 run), Sims (1-for-1 run, RBI), and Alvarez (2-for-2 RBI). 

This was the return of Lauritsen after a brief two-game stint due to injury. She is the catalyst for the lineup. 

“Taylor is not only one of our leaders when we’re on defense, but she’s our leader offensively as well,” Lopez pointed out. “It’s really great to have her back and all the rest of our infield back in their home positions.” 

Getting the win in the circle was Rubalcava. She worked 5 innings where she struck out 3 and walked 2 in just 60 pitches. This was the third winning decision for the junior righty as well. 

Freshman Malina Viruet worked the final inning where she threw just 11 pitches in her high school debut in the circle. 

The Grizzlies had a hard time hitting with runners in scoring position. They were able to get runners on base but just couldn’t get the big hit. They also ran into some bad luck. In the fourth, Wood singled and Cook walked to once again set the table. But the inning ended when Reilly Parga singled but there was baserunning interference to end the threat. 

Getting hits in the contest for the visitors were Parga (1-for-2), Wood (1-for-1 walk), and Cook (1-for-1 walk). 

This also ends a stretch of 6 straight road games to begin the season for Napa as well. They have had to play every game on the road due to a wet field. They have also dropped a pair of games they could’ve won due to being on the road as well. 

“Honestly, not having the last at-bat,” Walston said. “We lost two games in the bottom of the seventh. I think if we have the last at-bat in those games we could’ve been 5-0 at one point, honestly. It’s tough you gotta go in with a lead.”

Both teams will continue league play next Wednesday at 4 pm. Vintage will host Justin-Siena and Napa will finally play a home game against American Canyon.