Amanda Boyd failed to bunt twice in the bottom of the eighth
with Ari Romero on at third and Sam Filice on at first.
Amanda Boyd failed to bunt twice in the bottom of the eighth with Ari Romero on at third and Sam Filice on at first. It worked out fine for the Hollister Heat ‘A’ travel softball team because Boyd singled in Romero for the winning run.
The Heat nipped the San Carlos Sliders 4-3 Monday at Rainbow Field in the first pool play game of the NSA ‘A’ Western World Series being held in Modesto.
“I was just using Amanda’s speed to get on base,” said Heat coach Steve Grimsley. “Once she gets on base, there aren’t many who will throw her out. She’s a burner.”
The Heat 14’s played the San Ramon Valley Stompers this morning at 10:45 a.m. at Modesto Christian High School in their last pool play game. Seeding for the double-elimination portion of the tournament is Wednesday at 7 a.m., though no team is eliminated before Friday. If the Heat loses its first game, it could play five games on Friday. Monday’s temperature in Modesto was 105-degrees.
“I really don’t want to get in that loser’s bracket,” said Grimsley. “I want to stay in the winner’s bracket as long as possible.”
Filice pitched all eight innings for the Heat. Denise Lujan was scheduled to start this morning with Filice at the ready. Jordan Lee was to miss both pool play games due to summer school.
The Heat 14’s rallied twice to tie the score. Down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Felicia Freitas stole third then scored when the throw to third went awry.
The international tiebreaker rule was implemented in the top of the eighth and the Sliders managed a run to take the lead 3-2. Kassie Kearns began the inning at second base in the bottom of the eighth and was sacrificed to third by Courtney Macfarlane. Kearns tied the game on a passed ball.
The Heat had scored its first run in the fifth on a double by Krisaundra Haggard and a single by Ashley Patton.
“It was a great game,” said Grimsley. “A heck of a game.”
