The De Anza College softball team lost 14-1 the last game of the day against Reedley College on Friday Feb. 13.
Three games were played on  that day, starting with De Anza beating College of the Redwoods 4-2, then Reedley emerging triumphant over Redwoods with a score of 11-1. The games were scheduled as a
round-robin tournament because previous matchups had to be cancelled due to heavy rains.
The Dons’ first inning against the Reedley Tigers began with Danielle Vandiver pitching and Audrey Wilkinson starting out as catcher. When a strong pitch grazed the aluminum of Reedley’s third batter and continued plunging towards home plate, Wilkinson’s attempts to catch it were thwarted in a stumbling blunder, giving a chance for Reedley to advance. The Dons were defensively strong at the start of the game; allowing the grey-clad Tigers to score only once at the end of the first inning.
Sophomore Carolina Garcia started the second inning by taking position as the first batter. Reedley’s dominant team did not give many chances to De Anza, taking a 2-0 lead to the third inning.
Sophomore Jade Teruya managed to pull De Anza out of a bad inning with two foul balls following an initial strike. The Dons were unable to score as both teams went to the fourth inning.
Coach Angelena Mexicano called for a time-out to make a defensive substitution; Alexandra Morgan was placed in the infield while Jade Teruya took over pitching. Reedley really began to take over after Tiger Autumn Corrales made a strategic hit to the opposite field, giving her team the opportunity to score a double. Reedley’s left-handed batter, freshman Jordan Matheney, hit the ball to center-field, but Ryann Phillips was unable to get to the ball on time. Reedley went into the fifth inning with eight runs.
Shortly into the fifth, Coach Mexicano called for a time-out to hold a quick discussion with the Dons, later switching Carolina Garcia with Alexandra Morgan and then having Vanessa Montez try
to pitch.
Vandiver said after the game, “Mental preparedness and keeping our head in the game” is what we need to focus on, because we “already have the skillset.”
The Dons scored a clever run with a tactical bunt from Carmen Urtecho that gave rise to a spectacular play.
When asked about her team’s strengths and weaknesses, coach Mexicano said there is a strong presence of “hard-work ethic.”
The “heart and desire for the game is here,” she said but there is a need to “find that balance
and consistency.”
First baseman Emily Rodinski said they needed to communicate more and “need to be more enthusiastic” to perform at an
ideal level.