American Canyon starts fast with big first inning rally, adds on with more runs throughout to beat Napa
By Kyle Foster
Follow on Twitter/X: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
The advantage to being on the visiting team is that you can set the tone and put a number up early.
In Wednesday’s Vine Valley Athletic League contest at the Napa High softball field, this is what American Canyon did as they beat the Grizzlies, 12-2.
The Wolves (6-2 overall, 1-0 VVAL) began the game by scoring 6 times in the first inning to seize the lead. The huge rally started when Montgomery and Isabella Santiago singled. A double by Alexandria Yra down the left-field line brought in Montgomery and got Santiago to third. A Jaida Fulcher groundout brought in Santiago and moved Yra to third. Mya Santiago’s ground out then brought in Yra. Aalayah Ramos walked, Jayden De los Santos reached on an infield single, and Jazlene Flores reached on an error to load the bases before Hannah Wildes singled to bring in Ramos and De los Santos, which also moved Flores to third. A Montgomery infield single ended the frame where she brought in Flores.
Over the last few games, American Canyon has had a knack for scoring runs early. This was the third game in a row where they scored 3 or more runs to begin the game.
“Our top of our lineup really gets us started,” Montgomery added. “We see a lot of pitches so it helps people in the dugout see the pitches. I think that when I get on and Bella gets on and Lexa does it’s really like it’s a momentum changer because it’s like, well, you know, we got to start it for everyone else.”
In the second, the Wolves pushed the lead to 7-0 when they scored once more. Yra doubled to right-center and then moved to third on a Mya Santiago single before scoring on a Ramos groundout.
American Canyon added another three runs in the third to gain a 10-0 lead. It all started when Flores walked and swiped second. Following a Wildes groundout, she scored on a Montgomery infield single. Montgomery then stole second and third and Yra walked and stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Fulcher who brought them both in with a single.
The Wolves added on a run in the sixth when Wildes singled and got to third on a Montgomery bunt single. An Isabella Santago single brought in Wildes.
American Canyon’s final tally of the game came in the seventh when Fulcher singled and got to second on a sacrifice bunt by Julia Ramirez before getting to third on a groundout by Ramos. She then scored on a single by De los Santos.
Leading the Wolves batting in the game was Montgomery who went 4-for-5 in the game with a pair of stolen bases, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBIs.
“So this year batting first was kind of like new for me,” Montgomery said. “So I felt like in order to like get my team going and started to rally I’d have to get on and I know Bellal is behind me and Bella usually moves me over.”
All of this led her to be a catalyst to get the offense going, which is exactly what you want at the top of the lineup.
“She sets the tone for the inning,” American Canyon head coach Roger Harris said of Montgomery. “She gets on, we usually bunt her over, and then she gets knocked in. She is very very fast. You saw her beat out two infield hits today. Even with throws to first base, she still beat them out. “
Others adding to the offensive onslaught in the game were Yra (2-for-3 3 runs, 2 doubles, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, stolen base), Isabella Santiago (3-for-5 run, RBI), De los Santos (3-for-5 run, RBI, stolen base), Wildes (2-for-4 run, 2 RBIs, stolen base), Mya Santiago (1-for-2 2 walks, RBI), and Fulcher (2-for-5 run, 3 RBIs).
Napa (3-4, 0-2 VVAL) scored their lone runs of the game in the third inning. Brooklyn Miller walked and was run for by Noleen Cichon who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ella Johnson and third on a single by Molly Travis. Cichon scored on a single by Olivia Horn, which moved Travis to third. A Jessye Wood single then brought in Travis.
“They’ve been hitting the ball hard,” Napa High head coach Ron Walston pointed out. “Just we finally got a couple through. I mean, they made some great defensive plays on hard-hit balls that I think a lot of times those are hits. But they made great plays more than once, throughout the whole game, especially their centerfielder. But we’ve been hitting the ball hard, it’s just, I think we’re snake bit.”
However, they also ran into some snakebit problems in the game as well. In the bottom of the first, Johnson walked and Travis was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Following a Horn lineout, Wood lined out to center and Johnson was doubled off at second to end the scoring opportunity.
Then, in the second Reilly Parga singled and was doubled off at first when Riley Brodie lined out to the pitcher. In both cases, the ball was hit hard, and found a glove.
“The double play balls, the ones that I remember, are just hard-hit line drives to the corners,” Walston added. “They’re getting a lead on the pitch and if they get a big lead, and then the balls hit hard right at somebody and they’ll turn stuff on the bag.”
Leading the Napa offense were Parga (2-for-3), Miller (1-for-2 walk), Travis (1-for-3 run), Horn (1-for-3 RBI), Wood (1-for-3 RBI), and Brodie (1-for-3).
Getting the win in the circle for the Wolves was Mya Santiago. Over a complete game effort, she struck out 2 and walked 2 while giving up 2 earned runs. It was the right-hander’s third winning decision of the season as well. She threw 96 pitches as well.
“She threw a lot of pitches the first couple innings until she finally settled in,” Harris said of Santiago’s outing. “We’re calling pitches now. Coach Jaime Ramirez is calling her pitches now. So it kind of takes a little off of our catchers. Our catchers are underclassmen so. And they related. It’s her stepdad so they work well together. But I think once she settled in, trusting the pitches that were being called, and she was doing her job.”
Both teams will continue league play this week. American Canyon will host Casa Grande on Thursday at 4 pm. Napa will host Justin-Siena next Wednesday at 4 pm.
In other VVAL games on Wednesday, Vintage beat Justin-Siena 21-0 and Casa Grande beat Sonoma Valley 11-0.
