Hollister Heat 14U squad remains unbeaten in two games at
Nationals, faces tough opponent today
Out of the 119 teams competing in the ASA 14U Nationals in Owensboro, Kentucky, only 32 remain undefeated at the end of Tuesday’s action.
The Hollister Heat is one of those 32 teams.
The Heat trounced Springfield Gold, out of Pennsylvania, 11-4 in Tuesday’s early game and then came right back that evening to defeat the Texas Avengers of College Station 4-0 in a game that saw starting pitcher Sarah Solis toss a perfect game through four innings of play.
The team had Wednesday off and players, coaches and parents alike took time out to enjoy the moment before they face a tough USA Athletics team out of Southern California today at 4:30pm.
“Tom MacFarlane’s doing backflips off the diving board into the lake for everybody,” joked Heat manager Todd Freitas on the telephone from the team’s cookout on Wednesday. “But, it’s like we’ve told the girls all year long, the hard part is getting there. Now that we’re here, let’s have fun.”
The players have to be having fun showing that they can hold their own against the nation’s top programs.
Tuesday’s first game saw the Heat score early after J.C. Clayton, only two weeks removed from getting hit by a pitch and breaking a bone in her right wrist, reached on an error by the springfield Gold defense. Clayton’s wrist didn’t prevent her from stealing second base and then making it home, along with Brenna Zazueta-Carillo on a double from Bre Fata that made it all the way to the outfield fence.
The Heat fell behind 3-4 to Springfield Gold in the second but came back in the third with a four-run outburst. Clayton led with a single and again stole second before being brought across on a single by Alejandra Hernandez.
Later in the inning, Bri Romero singled to put runners on first and second for Elena Fata, who had no trouble smacking a liner through the gap to score Romero as well as Katie O’Brian, who was pinch running for Hernandez.
In the seventh, the Heat had even more bad news for Springfield Gold.
Romero singled to lead things off, followed by a single from Elena Fata. Bre Fata was up next and she put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third.
Romero was first to come across on a sacrifice fly from Katrina Ibarra but Elena Fata made it in shortly after on a play that also saw Mary Luna reach base thanks to another defensive error.
Gatto then walked to put runners at first and second with two outs. The inning’s second defensive error not only allowed Kourtney Kientzy to reach safely, it brought Luna across as well. Zazueta-Carillo’s two-run single later in the inning wrapped up the game’s scoring at 11-4.
Pitcher Marisa Ibarra went the whole game for the Heat, striking out four, walking none and retiring the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Sarah Solis’ performance in the second game of the day was a gem as well. The Heat hurler was flawless through four with six strikeouts to earn the win as Hollister notched the 4-0 shutout over one of Texas’ best teams.
The game was a 0-0 nail-biter until the fourth, when Hollister broke through with all four of its runs.
Romero came through with a one-out single to get things started and then Elena Fata got on first thanks to an Avengers’ error in left field, putting runners on second and third.
Bre Fata’s bases-clearing double as the Heat’s next batter made sure they weren’t waiting there long. Chelsea Freitas brought Fata in later on in the inning with a well-hit single and then crossed home plate herself, compliments of a single from Gatto.
Tuesday’s action saw the Heat play great both on offense as well as defense. But the team is going to need to keep it up as the competition only gets tougher from here on out.
“It’s going to take a perfect game,” said Freitas on what it will take for his team to pull off a win against the USA Athletics today. “We’re going to have to be at the top of our game, do all of the little things and hope for a 1-0 win. It’s going to be a battle.”
