Taking a tough one-run loss on the road, the Escalon varsity softball Lady Cougars battled back and put one in the win column at home.

They dropped a Tuesday, March 26 game to Hughson by a 3-2 final to start the week.

“The game was scoreless until Hughson got a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning,” explained Escalon coach Art Brooks. “In the seventh, we were able to get two walks, Nicole Bianchi and Anastasia Rodriguez walked, then Lexi Prim hit a double off the fence, she just missed a home run but it tied the game at 2-2.”

Hughson won the game in the bottom of the seventh, scratching out a run.

Marissa Dominguez took the loss, but pitched an outstanding game, said Brooks.

“We only had one hit and that was from Lexi,” the coach noted.

The pitcher’s duel featured a few runs and only a couple of hits. Dominguez got the ball again to start the Thursday game at home hosting Hilmar and again was masterful. This time, though, she got the victory.

“She allowed one hit, two walks and struck out 10,” Brooks explained. “Ashley (Schuurman) finished the game with a strikeout, got the save.”

Things got a little tense for the host Lady Cougars in that seventh inning, as they were nursing a slight lead and saw Hilmar get a run in and threaten with two outs and the bases loaded. That’s when Schuurman came on and closed the door, striking out the only hitter she faced, the No. 4 hitter for the Yellowjackets.

Escalon scored one run in the third on an Anastasia Rodriguez double and two more in the fourth, one of those runs knocked in by Rodriguez as well.

Illiana Cajias was 2-for-4 while Adalia Cajias, Honda Hernandez, Dominguez and Haley Yandell all had hits.

The girls are looking for more Trans-Valley League wins, aiming to be in the top three and make it to the playoffs this season.

This week, they are going to play in the NorCal Classic in Tracy, starting out with a Thursday, April 4 game against Patterson.