Heat go 5-1 at recent tourney, finish runner-up
HOLLISTER
The Hollister Heat 10U softball team finished runner-up at a recent tournament, compiling a 5-1 record and only losing in the championship final.
The Heat opened the tournament on Saturday, Oct. 18, with a 6-4 win over the Los Gatos Magic. The win was highlighted by the play of Madisyn Gutierrez-Urban, who connected on a two-run homer to right field in the second inning.
After the Heat dispatched the MVLA Nova 8-7, Hollister then defeated the Stingers 6-5. Gutierrez-Urban had a triple in the game and later stole home on a passed ball, while teammate Taylor Shutts followed with a home run.
The Heat also stymied any momentum in the third inning when the Stingers put runners on the corners with no one out.
After the runner on first tried to steal second, catcher Lexi Chavarria threw towards second and drew the runner from third base to break for home. But Chavarria’s throw was intercepted by second baseman Taylor Lopes, who immediately threw back home where Chavarria applied the tag at the plate.
“Perfectly executed trick play,” manager George Ramirez said in an e-mail.
The win over the Stingers gave Hollister a 3-0 record and the No. 2 seed heading into Sunday.
The Heat opened the second day of the tournament with a convincing 14-4 win over the Salinas Storm, and then came back to defeat the Central Coast Dirt Dogs 4-3 in the semifinals, a game in which Hollister trailed by three runs.
In the championship, Hollister fell to the Renegades 12-1, providing the Heat with their second-place standing.
