Vintage’s bats roar to life to beat Napa in Big Game’s return to Kiwanis

By Kyle Foster

Kfost91197@gmail.com

Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews 

Normally, going into the bottom half of the first down can be a bad thing. However, this is not the case if a team is mentally strong and can stay with the course. 

In Tuesday night’s first Big Game softball, this is what the Vintage softball team did when they beat Napa 14-4 in six innings.

“I think that really speaks to their headspace,” Vintage first-year skipper Megan Lopez explained. “If you lose four in the first inning, then you answer back with seven – it’s that never give up mentality.” 

The Crushers (9-1 overall, 3-0 Vine Valley Athletic League) scored 14 unanswered runs on the way to claiming the first Big Game victory.  

It all started in the first when Angie Rubalcava (2-for-4 with a single, run, three RBIs) hit a solo home run that woke up the Crushers’ offense in the bottom of the first. Her single in the first brought in Binaca Avalos and Taylor Lauritsen. 

“I went up there wanting to hit the ball,” Rubalcava recalled of her leadoff homer. “First pitch, saw it, and I hit the ball.”   

Also in the first, Vintage scored four more times to gain a 7-4 advantage and get the momentum back in their dugout. 

Napa (1-6, 1-2 VVAL) started the game by putting up four runs. A double by Dalila Tapia brought in Jessaye Wood and Reilly Parga who reached by way of an error and single. Two batters later, Olivia Vavricka walked and scored with Tapia when Olivia Horn struck out but reached when Audrey Manley’s throw went down the first baseline. 

“We got some runners on and had a coupe dropped third strike stiff like that,” Napa High manager Ron Walston said of the Grizzlies’ fast start. “They ran the bases well, they were prepared for it. So we were able to get a few across.” 

The Grizzlies were led at the plate by Tapia (1-for-3 double, run, two RBIs) and Parga (1-for-3 run). 

Vintage also scored a pair of runs in the second that started on a Shelby Morse double before her courtesy runner, Jillian Harnois, scored on a Gamsby groundout. An Avalos single brought in Camila Barboza who reached on a fielder’s choice. 

Two more Crusher runs scored in the fourth when Morse led off with a single and came home on a single by Vanderbilt with an error that let her get all the way to third and later score on another Gamsby groundout. 

In the sixth, Vintage scored the final three runs of the game. Two of them came when Emily Vanderbilt (3-for-3 two singles, three runs, two RBIs) hit a two-run homer to straightaway center. The game-ending run came when Devin Viruet reached on an infield single that brought in Gamsby who singled after Vanderbilt’s round-tripper. 

“I’ve been in a slump recently, so it was nice to go 3-3,” Vanderbilt said of her day at the plate. “It was nice to get that momentum back.” 

Others leading Vintage at the plate were Gamsby (2-for-4 two singles, three RBIs, and two runs), Morse (2-for-4 run), Barboza (2-for-4 two runs), Viruet (1-for-2 RBI), Avalos (1-for-2 RBI), and Manley (1-for-3 two runs, stolen base). 

Getting the win was Morse. She worked three frames in the game, striking out six, and walking two. She also allowed four runs, with only one of them being earned on 52 pitches. Gamsby worked the other three innings striking out eight and walking three. She didn’t allow a run on 62 pitches. 

Both teams will continue league play later this week. On Thursday, Vintage will travel to Petaluma to face Casa Grande. Napa will host American Canyon on Friday. Both games start at 4 pm.   

In other VVAL games Tuesday, American Canyon beat Petaluma 5-2 and Casa Grande beat Justin-Siena 21-1. To view the updated league standings, go here. 

Return of Big Game at Kiwanis Park

Tuesday’s game marked the return of Big Game being played at Kiwanis Park in south Napa. The last time Napa and Vintage met there was on May 8th, 2018. 

Both coaches were thrilled to play a game under the lights with the community coming out to support. 

“I think Big Game at Kiwanis is a certain rite of passage,” Lopez added. “I know for me that it was a full-circle moment. Not having it for a few years out here, I think it was a special time for the kids.” 

Walston was also pleased to renew an old tradition. 

“It’s great for the girls and great for the fans and everybody,” he said. “Playing under the lights is something that not all of them get to do that. It’s big because (the) community gets together and you always get a big turnout.”

The teams will meet again under the lights on April 28th at 6:30 pm. This time, Vintage will be the visitors and Napa High will play hosts.