CIF playoffs: Lompoc softball, Santa Ynez baseball teams advance

Joe Bailey, Santa Maria Times, Calif.
·2 min read

May 6—The Lompoc softball team scored a 5-4 win over Garden Grove Santiago in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs on Thursday.

The Santa Ynez baseball team cruised past Ventura Foothill Tech 8-0.

In Lompoc's softball win, the Braves were down 1-0 after the first inning, but tied the game with a run in the top of the third before taking a 3-1 lead on Teagan Thompson's two-run homer in the fourth inning. Lompoc went up 5-1 with a two-spot in the sixth, but the Cavaliers scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Braves' lead to a single run.

Star senior Briana Reitmeier worked out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh. After issuing a lead-off walk, Reitmeier got a 6-4 fielder's choice at second turned by Gabi Arias and De'vonnah Montague.

A single got runners on the corners for Santiago. Reitmeier then got a pop out before the Braves opted to load the bases with an intentional walk. Reitmeier then got a first-pitch flyout to Avary Montgomery in right field to end the game with the bases loaded.

Reitmeier threw all seven innings, earning the win despite allowing four earned runs on eight hits. The right-hander struck out seven and walked three.

Rita Hernandez went 2-for-4 at the plate for Lompoc while freshman phenom Nat Aguilar, the team's starting catcher, went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Cheyanne Cordova went 2-for-4 and Montague had an RBI and a run. Reitmeier also scored a run.

Santiago committed five errors on the day and the Braves had just one. The Cavaliers out-hit the Braves 8-6.

Lompoc will host Newport Harbor on Tuesday in the second round. Newport Harbor beat Twentynine Palms 5-0 in its first-round game. The Sailors are 18-6 overall on the season and are the No. 4 seed in the division.

Lompoc advanced to the semifinals in last spring's Division 6 bracket. The Braves are now 22-7 on the season after going 11-4 in the Channel League.

Santa Ynez advanced to the baseball playoffs as an at-large team in Division 6. They will host the winner of the Chino-Baldwin Park Sierra Vista game on Tuesday.