Now that they have successfully answered Antioch’s challenge with a 3-2 win, Casa Grande’s Lady Gauchos get down to the business of Vine Valley Athletic League softball play Thursday.
Casa Grande begins play in its new league on its home diamond against a Sonoma Valley team that is expected to be a strong contender for the VVAL title.
Both teams enter the 4 p.m. game at 3-1.
Last week’s win over Antioch was a big one for the Gauchos. Casa Grande knocked Antioch out of the North Coast Section playoffs last year with a 1-0 victory, and the Bay Valley Softball League team had been eagerly anticipating the rematch.
They got more than they could handle.
Led by Presley Ruoff at the plate and Katie Machado in the circle, Casa Grande held on to win.
Antioch got to Machado for a run in the second inning, but Ruoff smacked one of her two doubles to tie the game in the third.
In the fourth, Casa’s Emily Hart singled, moved up on Katie Humphreys’ single and scored on Emma Hughes’ fielder’s choice.
Ruoff singled and scored on Mo Lynch’s double to provide what was the winning run in the fifth.
Antioch did not go quietly home, getting a run and putting the potential tying run on third before Machado could work out of trouble.
“She got into trouble a couple of times, but battled, and got out of it,” Casa coach Scott Sievers noted of his pitcher.
“I was really proud of the way our team came back after we played poorly against Cardinal Newman (in an 8-6 loss) the game before.”
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