Gilroy Minors overcome early deficit to win District 59
championship.
SAN JOSE – After defeating its first two opponents in the District 59 girls 10-year-old all-star tournament by a combined score of 43-3, it took everyone by surprise when manager George Sandoval’s Gilroy Minors softball girls fell behind 5-0 in the top of the first inning.
However, after cutting into the deficit with two runs in the bottom of the first, Gilroy’s bats came alive, plating seven runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead for good in an eventual 10-6 triumph over Evergreen to capture the District 59 championship Wednesday night in San Jose.
Emily Fredricks spelled starting pitcher Sandoval with one-out in the first, striking out a pair to get Gilroy out of the jam.
After the rough top half of the first, the girls attacked the 5-0 hole with vigor, and Juliana Santiago began to turn the tide for Gilroy with a two-out base hit in the bottom of the first, bringing in Sandoval and Olivia Moore, who reached earlier in the inning via walks.
Fredricks struck out the side swinging in the top of the second to get Gilroy back in the dugout primed and ready to pounce.
The quick inning sparked the all-stars as they proceeded to unload five hits and seven runs to not only climb back into the contest but also snag the lead 9-5.
After Emily Boykin drove in Julia Rodriguez with a fielder’s choice ground out, Gilroy mounted a strong two-out surge. Sandoval ripped a base hit to left followed by a Moore walk. Maddie Cox, who also hit a solo home run in the third, notched a two-RBI double to tie the game at five apiece. Cox later scored on an RBI-single by Santiago before Rodriguez cleaned up the rest with two-RBI two-bagger.
Despite surrendering 12 walks in the game, Gilroy allowed just one hit. With the win, the squad moves on to the Northern California Division II tournament this weekedn in Concord.
