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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! The Hemet Bulldogs pose for a team photo with their 2013 Division 4 plaque. photo by BOB OTTO/ For The Valley Chronicle. | ||
June 03, 2013
IRVINE – The Hemet High Bulldogs softball team trailed 1-0 through the first two innings in the biggest softball game in school history. And they had mustered but one hit off a pretty good pitcher.Time to panic? Time to change offensive strategy? Not hardly. Not when the Bulldogs' lineup includes a murderous row of speedy slap hitters, line drive belters, and long-ball bashers.
The Bulldogs awoke from their two-inning lumber slumber to shock their opponent, the Santa Monica Vikings, by hammering out seven runs on seven hits in the third inning to runaway with the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 championship, 16-2, last Saturday to claim the first softball championship in school history.
When the final tallies were totaled, Hemet (28-5) had collected 20 hits and stole 10 bases in the biggest offensive onslaught on display among the seven divisional championship games played at Barber Park's Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine on Friday and Saturday.
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ELUSIVE WARNER: Hemet's Samantha Warner scores the Bulldogs' fourth run in the third inning by sliding around the tag of Santa Monica pitcher Whitney Jones. | ||
And that has these softball Bulldogs very happy with their achievement.
"I can't even describe how it feels yet," said senior third baseman MacKenzie Miller. "I'm so proud of my school and my team. This is awesome."
Miller, who plans on attending the University of California San Diego next season and playing softball, played a big part in the victory. She belted a bases-loaded triple in the sixth inning that gave Hemet a 15-2 lead, and set off a wild celebration on the Bulldogs' side.
"This was my last high school game (and last at bat)," Miller said (1-for-5, 3RBIs), "It's a perfect way to end the season. It doesn't get any better than this."
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SPEEDSTER'S SAFE! Fleet-footed Antonia Nahulu (2-for-4) beats out a slap hit as Hemet assistant coach Erinn Webb signals the safe call. | ||
But Gandara had plenty of help. Taylor Van Zee was 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs; Avea Gaono 2-5; Amanda Izzo 3-5, RBI; Ivy Campbell 1-3, RBI; Selena Silva 2-4, 2 RBIs; Antonia Nahulu 2-4, and Cheyenne Gandara 2-3, RBI.
And it was Cheyenne Gandara in the circle firing her explosive, high velocity risers, drops, screwballs and curves that shutdown Santa Monica on four hits, no walks, nine strikeouts, seven ground balls and six fly balls.
How good was she in this biggest softball game in school history? Her catcher would know.
"Her (pitches) and location inside and out worked really well," said Gaono. "She is an amazing pitcher."
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GREAT EFFORT: Hemet centerfielder Kassandra Hernandez crashed into the fence as she tried to catch a hard hit ball that resulted in a triple by Santa Monica's Annie Quine in the first inning. | ||
Other than that, Hemet defeated Valley Christian of Cerritos 14-0 in the opener; Buena 7-1 in the quarterfinals; Patriot of Riverside 10-1 in the semis before blasting aside Santa Monica.
With all this run support in the title game, Gandara perhaps could have coasted a little. But that's not in her Bulldog-like nature. The senior right-hander with her speed and spin hurled every inning in the playoffs, finishing 5-0 and allowing only three earned runs.
Though Hemet coach Jeff Galloway did not keep statistics during the playoffs, records show that Gandara finished the regular season with a 0.82 ERA and 191 strikeouts. Including the playoffs, she finishes her final high school season with a 22-2 record.
And she certainly has cemented her legacy in Hemet High softball as one of the greatest pitchers ever in Bulldogs' history.
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FANTASTIC FANS: Hemet fans cheered loudly and often for their Bulldogs. | ||
But for Gandara, much of this season and playoff success goes to her teammates.
"My defense has had my back the whole time," she said. "I'm really proud to be a part of this team and how we bonded together as a team."
Though the score is lopsided, Santa Monica was a worthy foe to reach the title game. The Vikings knocked off Hesperia, 3-2, in its opener; No. 1 ranked Segerstrom 7-2; No. 8 Paloma Valley 8-1, and No. 3 Dos Pueblos 3-2.
"Santa Monica was the best team I've seen in awhile," Gandara said. "I'm glad I got to face them."
The 2013 CIF-SS Division 4 championship Bulldogs' roster includes: Samantha Warner, Antonia Nahulu, Rebecca Lopez, Jade Gandara, Avea Gaono, Victoria Montoya, Lauren Bridge, MacKenzie Miller, Kassandra Hernandez, Amanda Izzo, Stephanie Tarango, Selena Silva, Taylor Van Zee, Ivy Campbell, Madalynn Montoya, and Cheyenne Gandara.
"Team unity put us over the top," said Galloway of his 16 Bulldogs, who also won the Mountain Pass League with a 14-1 record. "They bonded really well and they had one common goal to reach the championship."