Riverside Prep softball is heading to the CIF-SS Division 7 semifinals
The Riverside Prep softball team rallied from an early four-run deficit and went on to beat Yucca Valley 18-5 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 7 quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon.
Getting to the semifinals is a huge feat for the program, which had never made it past the second round prior to this season.
It didn’t look too good early on.
Yucca Valley jumped out to a three-run lead in the first inning after a pair of singles.
Alyssa Martinez led off the first inning for the Silver Knights with a double and later came around to score on a single from Liliana Cazares.
Yucca Valley tacked on two more runs in the second inning for a 5-1 lead. Riverside Prep came right back with three runs with a couple of ground outs and an error, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
The Silver Knights captured the lead with a three-run third inning. Jazlyne Torres walked and then a pair of singles from America Barajas and Samantha Urtiaga loaded the bases with no outs. A fielder’s choice followed by a ground out and walk gave the Silver Knights a 7-5 lead.
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After a scoreless fourth inning, Riverside Prep added seven runs in the fifth inning with three run-scoring singles and two doubles, upping the lead to 14-5.
Cazares ended 4 for 4 with a RBI and run; Rachel Lillibridge went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and a run; Barajas went 3 for 4 with a RBI and two runs; Urtiaga went 2 for 3 with two runs and a stolen base; and Martinez ended 2 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs.
Riverside Prep (15-16-1) will be back home for the semifinals Saturday afternoon against Oxford Academy, which beat AB Miller 11-4.
JW North 3, Oak Hills 2
At Riverside, the Bulldogs’ season came to a heartbreaking end in the quarterfinals of the Division 4 playoffs.
Oak Hills held a 2-1 lead entering the seventh inning and JW North won the game on a walk-off single from Jade Jorrin with one out.
Mayo led off the inning with a bunt for a single and then Oak Hills starting pitcher Maddie Romo got a fly out to left field for the first out.
Mayo stole second base and then came around to score on a double from Audrina Camacho to tie the game. Camacho advanced to third base on a passed ball and then scored the game-winning run on Jorrin’s line-drive single to right field.
Oak Hills had a chance to score early but couldn’t capitalize on a bases-loaded situation. Daylin Hoenisch drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third base two batters later.
A pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs; however, Dallyse York struck out to end the inning.
JW North took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after a single from Camacho, who then stole second base, and then scored on a single from Jorrin. JW North had runners at second and third with one out, but Romo escaped the jam with a flyout and a strikeout.
Oak Hills struck back for two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to a couple of errors.
Sam Spencer led off the inning with a double and then two outs quickly followed. Romo hit a popup to right field that was misplaced and Spencer came around to score. Romo ended up at second base. Amaya Sigala then hit a grounder to second base and reached base on an error, and Romo’s pinch runner came around to score.
Romo ended the game with eight strikeouts and allowed nine hits with four walks.
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Muir 23, Academy of Careers & Exploration 4
At Helendale, the Eagles weren’t able to recover after allowing eight runs in the second inning and their season came to an end in the Division 7 quarterfinals.
ACE was held to just four runs and committed nine errors in the loss.
Addison Shockley went 2 for 3 with a RBI, a run and a stolen base, and Danaka Pelayes went 1 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: CIF-SS Softball Playoffs: Riverside Prep punches a ticket to the semis
