Rustlers Mercy Wolverines in Sixth Innings

Huntington Beach, CA - Golden West softball (3-2) wins in sixth innings against the San Bernardino Valley Wolverines (2-7), 11-3. 

Golden West welcomed San Bernardino Valley for the first blue sky beautiful day that Huntington Beach has seen since the rain clouds dispersed. The Rustlers began the afternoon with two spectacular double-plays. In the first, a line drive to shortstop 

For the first two innings, the home team loaded the bases and looked to apply damage to the scoreboard. Though they were unable to in the first, Golden West plated two runs in the second frame. With runners on each base, a catcher's interference scored the first run of the game which allowed Miriam Talstein to cross home plate. Later in the inning, a fielder's choice gave the Rustlers a two run edge, 2-0. 

In an incredible play, left fielder Sofia Herrera dove head first to catch a line drive to save a run and end the top of the third. The Wolverines would tally the scoreboard in the fourth from an RBI blooper base hit and fielder's choice to tie the game, 2-2. Allyssa DeMayo started the fifth with a huge hit as she roped a triple to the right center gap. Lillian Smith followed through with an RBI knock to score DeMayo and put the Rustlers back on top, 3-2. 

Golden West continued to score six more runs in the frame as offensive added insurance runs. Orla Keys doubled in Sara Aguilar and Mia Duda scored from a Mackenzie King fielder's choice, 5-2. Desyree Arizmendi singled in a run as did Makayla Bandaruk to make it a five run lead, 7-2. The team batted around as Smith stepped back into the box and smacked an RBI knock, 8-2. 

The Wolverines would score in the top of the sixth but just before the Rustlers scored two more. For the bottom of the sixth, Golden West looked to cut the game short with a walkoff mercy victory. Bandaruk singled in Talstein to put her team back up six, 9-3. Shelby Jacobz had an opportunity to close out the game and did just that with an RBI base hit for the mercy walkoff in the sixth, 11-3. 

At the top of the lineup, C. DeMayo had a successful day as she went 3-4 with one run scored and a walk. Bandaruk came up huge in important spots as she went 2-2 with two RBIs in her two at-bats. Jacobz and Smith also tallied two RBIs each as A. DeMayo knocked in an RBI. Golden West now is above a .500 record with the victory as they improve to 3-2 on the season with a two game win streak. 

UP NEXT: Golden West will be back in action on March 4th as the team will host Santa Monica. First pitch will be at 3pm.