It took awhile, but Gilroy’s bats woke up at just the right time.
The Gilroy Junior All Stars softball team — the Northern California state champions — trailed its Southern California counterparts for most of Tuesday’s Western Regional game. A four-run seventh inning helped lift the team to a 5-2 win, giving Gilroy the best record (4-1) in the tournament as of Wednesday.
Southern California grabbed the lead early by scoring two runs in the first. SoCal maintained a 2-1 lead heading into the top of the seventh, but that’s when Gilroy’s bats came alive.
The bases were loaded with one out when Nikki Villanueva stepped up to the plate. She hit a double to centerfield, sending Briannalee Moreno and Liezl home. Cynthia Del Real followed up with a single which allowed Michaela Decker to score, giving Gilroy a 4-2 lead.
Madeline Cox hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, but it allowed Villanueva to tag up at home to score Gilroy’s final run of the game.
Villanueva went 3 for 4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Del Real was 1 for 4, with an RBI and a stolen base. Moreno went 1 for 2 with two runs and walk in the game.
Maria Sandoval went the distance for Gilroy to get the win. She gave up nine hits, two runs, two walks and strikeout in seven innings of work.
Gilroy squares off against Alaska (2-1) in a semifinal matchup today at 6:30 p.m. The winner must face Montana twice Thursday in order to advance to the World Series.Â
