Vintage starts fast in both games to beat Napa and take care of business for Big Game sweep
By Kyle Foster
Twitter/X: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Things have and can get weird in rivalry games, and the best team doesn’t always win. That’s why taking care of business can be something to be happy with at the end of the day.
In the Big Game softball double header, this is what Vintage did as they beat rival Napa 13-0 in the first game and 14-0 in the second, both in five-inning mercy rule-shortened games.
In both games, Vintage (15-6, 7-3 VVAL) scored early. This took away any chance of Big Game jitters from coming into the equation and also got the momentum in their dugout. But coming into the games, Vintage had a focus on taking care of business, which is exactly what they did.
“I think I say this every year, and even to the girls, the big game is emotional, and anything can happen,” Vintage head coach Megan Lopez said. “It’s anybody’s day to have a big day. So our goal and our mindset is to take care of business, and I think the girls handled that very well.”
In the opening game, the Crushers started the game a bit slow before the offense got going later. The big inning of scoring in the first game came in the fourth when Rubalcava and Noelle Rofkahr reached on errors. Then, Desiree Griffith also reached on an error to bring in Rubalcava. A double to left-center by Carlee Carter brought in Rofkahr and Griffith. That was followed by a triple to left-center by Ryan Chaddock to bring home Griffith. A double by Aby Sims brought in Chaddock.
Vintage scored a run in the first and second, and then three in the third and fifth as well.
To begin the last game of the double dip, the Crushers started with a huge 9-run inning. In that inning, they sent 15 batters to the plate.
The Crushers added four more in the second and then another in the fourth.
In the first game, Angie Rubalvaca was unhittable in the circle as she threw a perfect game. Rubalcava was also extremely efficient, as she threw just 59 pitches while striking out 14 of the 15 batters she faced.
“I think it’s a very special moment to work for that for four years,” Lopez said of the perfect game. “In your final final series of Big Game, to have that happen, and it’s a testament to her work ethic and who she is as a player, and also just a special moment for our community, too, and our school.”
On top of all of that, Rubalcava was more worried about navigating through each inning and didn’t have the time to think about what was on the line.
“Honestly, in my head, I didn’t even know I was having a perfect game,” Rubalcava explained of her performance in the circle. “I think I was just going inning by inning and pitch by pitch.”
Rubalcava was able to do this thanks to a strong command of her fastball. This has always been a pitch that she uses to get ahead. But the velocity was up even more than normal, which allowed her to get strikes with ease. She also had a pair of immaculate innings in the game.
“I was mixing up my fastball, rise ball, and curve ball, probably, but sometimes my rise balls will get a little flat, so it can be more of a fastball,” Rubulcava added. “But I think it still has the spin, which is good. That’s why I was also working on my pitches, mostly even though I was still getting strikes, but I still need to perfect my movement pitches.”
At the plate, she was a combined 3-for-7 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored.
As for Napa (4-16, 1-9 VVAL), they were able to stay in the game early thanks to the tough effort given to them by senior pitcher Brooklyn Miller. Miller also worked in relief and navigated the lineup by mixing her pitches.
“What I know about Brooklyn is she’s going to show up every day,” Napa High head coach Todd Pridy said of Miller. “She’s going to show up with a smile on her face, and she’s going to be positive, and she’s going to work hard, and I don’t think, as a coach, you can ask for anything more than that.”
The Grizzlies are also a very young group, as they have only a pair of seniors on the roster. Despite that, there has been improvement from the beginning of the season to now, even if they don’t show up on the scoreboard.
“There’s no reason to blame youth,” Pridy explained. “We’re going to get better, and we have gotten better, and while it certainly didn’t show up on the scoreboard today, and quite frankly, it hasn’t shown up a lot on the scoreboard. But they are committing to what we’re asking of them, especially my hitters. We ran into a buzz saw today in that first game and in the second game, but specifically the first one.”
Napa will end the season with a trio of games beginning Monday at Wildsor at 4:30 before ending the year on the road at Sonoma Valley and Casa Grande. As for Vintage, they’ll end the season with a pair of home games against American Canyon for their Senior Day on Wednesday and then Petaluma on Friday.
Big Game double dip moves from Napa Valley College to Napa High after an inning of play
The day began at Napa Valley College. But after an issue popped up with the plate, everyone was forced to move to Napa High, with the game restarting after a nearly half-hour break.
While it was something that everyone had to deal with, it was also unprecedented to start a game and then get up and move to a new place that hadn’t been prepped for play.
“It was a little hectic on my part because we said ‘Okay, let’s go to Napa High,’” Pridy said of becoming the host for the games on Saturday. “I had to send my son (Jason) ahead to come drag it. Yesterday was literally the first time I’ve left the field without dragging it, and sure enough, we needed it. He got over here started getting it ready. We threw down the lines. What I appreciate is Megan’s flexibility, which, again, she didn’t have a problem with it at all, and the officials willing to extend their day because it was supposed to be a 10 and a 12:30, and here we are. The parents were great. I didn’t hear one grumble from either side.”
This also could’ve been something to mess with the teams. But it didn’t. For Vintage, they came away with the same focus they had earlier, despite the venue change.
“It was definitely different,” Lopez pointed out. “I think it has the opportunity to mess with the girls or whatever, to get in their car and go for a drive. But I was happy that our girls kind of came back out here threw, Angie warmed up, and we were just ready to go again.”
However, the idea to play at NVC came from Pridy. It was a new spin on this Big Game rivalry. He also hopes to try again next year.
“I remember growing up, and my sister played for Napa High softball, and they did a spring tournament there,” Pridy said of attempting to get Big Game played at NVC. And I remember specifically there was, must have been a Saturday night or whatever, but it went from a late afternoon to Twilight to finishing under the lights, and that was my original proposal.”
It also meant a lot for Lopez and assistant coach and former NVC head coach Michelle Hobbs to be back out there.
“Starting our game over at Napa College was definitely a full circle moment for Coach Hobbs and I, and being out there again, both coaching under her and playing under her,” Lopez said. “Now the roles of reversed on the coaching end, was a special moment. Prior to the game, we were trying to find base anchors and line the field ourselves. And it was just a special moment to see so many people come on the field and helping line the field, helping find the bases, parents and community putting posters up, plugging the stereo in, and that’s so special. I hope that these girls recognize how strong the community is and how much the game of softball has brought all of these people together.”
