The Ceres Pink Ladies improved to 8-2 and secured at least a share of the Ceres Youth Softball 18-and-under recreational league championship after edging the second-place Ceres A's 5-3 on a chilly and windy Wednesday night at George Costa Fields.
"It takes some of the pressure off," said Pink Ladies head coach Kelly Pond, whose team closes out the season with a two-game series against winless Craig's Towing later this week.
The A's dropped to 7-4 on the year.
"We lost the game because of our mental mistakes," head coach John Haarsma said.
Breanna Santos pitched a complete game for the Pink Ladies. The righthander allowed six hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts, two walks and one hit batsman. She relied on a devastating changeup.
"It never works except for today," she said.
Added Pond: "She did an excellent job."
The A's took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Anastasia Gomez, the team's No. 5 hitter and pitcher, drove in Devina Olmos and Alyssa Puricelli with a two-out double to right field.
The Pink Ladies evened the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning.
Santos walked and raced home when Meaghan Catchcart tripled to right field. Catchcart scored on Ilene Vasquez's grounder, which was fielded by Gomez. Anastasia threw home in time for the out but the catcher stepped on the plate instead of applying the tag.
Consuelo Cisnerso and Sabrina Mendoza scored on an error to put the Pink Ladies ahead 4-2 in the third inning.
The A's cut the deficit to 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning.
Olmos doubled, advanced to third on an error and scored on Gomez's single through the right side of the infield.
The Pink Ladies added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth.
Santos walked and scored later on Alisha Diaz's groundout.
"Everyone did good," Breanna said.
Gomez reached first on an error to lead off the top of the seventh inning for the A's.
Breanna retired the next two batters via strikeout with changeups, then induced a groundout to end the game.
Santos and her teammates didn't celebrate because they did the expected. The Pink Ladies beat the A's for the fourth time in six meetings.
"I don't like to show emotion," Breanna said.
"It takes some of the pressure off," said Pink Ladies head coach Kelly Pond, whose team closes out the season with a two-game series against winless Craig's Towing later this week.
The A's dropped to 7-4 on the year.
"We lost the game because of our mental mistakes," head coach John Haarsma said.
Breanna Santos pitched a complete game for the Pink Ladies. The righthander allowed six hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts, two walks and one hit batsman. She relied on a devastating changeup.
"It never works except for today," she said.
Added Pond: "She did an excellent job."
The A's took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Anastasia Gomez, the team's No. 5 hitter and pitcher, drove in Devina Olmos and Alyssa Puricelli with a two-out double to right field.
The Pink Ladies evened the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning.
Santos walked and raced home when Meaghan Catchcart tripled to right field. Catchcart scored on Ilene Vasquez's grounder, which was fielded by Gomez. Anastasia threw home in time for the out but the catcher stepped on the plate instead of applying the tag.
Consuelo Cisnerso and Sabrina Mendoza scored on an error to put the Pink Ladies ahead 4-2 in the third inning.
The A's cut the deficit to 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning.
Olmos doubled, advanced to third on an error and scored on Gomez's single through the right side of the infield.
The Pink Ladies added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth.
Santos walked and scored later on Alisha Diaz's groundout.
"Everyone did good," Breanna said.
Gomez reached first on an error to lead off the top of the seventh inning for the A's.
Breanna retired the next two batters via strikeout with changeups, then induced a groundout to end the game.
Santos and her teammates didn't celebrate because they did the expected. The Pink Ladies beat the A's for the fourth time in six meetings.
"I don't like to show emotion," Breanna said.
