Wins this week against Modesto Christian on the road and Ripon at home kept Escalon's varsity Lady Cougars in the thick of things for the Trans-Valley League softball title.
"Wednesday at Modesto Christian, we won 2-0," said coach Dianna Teixeira, noting that the girls played a smart game and, unlike the last time the two teams played, held on to the lead and took the contest.
It was a scoreless game until the top of the fifth, when Escalon pushed its two runs across the plate.
"Lounette Jackson singled, Hillary Jones bunted and both were safe," Teixeira said, noting that MC did not record an out on what was originally a sacrifice bunt attempt.
Then the Crusaders settled down and recorded two outs, with Escalon runners still on base.
"Audree Mendez then had a two-strike count and got a single with an RBI," Teixeira said. "Casey Schmidig then singled with an RBI and that was it, Miss Caitlin did the rest."
That 'Miss Caitlin' was starting pitcher Caitlin Brooks, who handcuffed the MC hitters, striking out 13 while walking one and allowing just one hit, a seventh inning single.
"The last time, we gave it away, too many errors," Teixeira said.
This time, her team played smart and didn't let the one error they did make hurt them.
Host MC had one error as well and Escalon had six hits, with two by Casey Schmidig, two from Mendez, the Jackson single and a single by Kattie Schmidig.
"Kattie called an awesome game, moving the pitches around," Teixeira noted of signal caller Schmidig.
Back at home on Friday to host Ripon, the girls got a scare but pulled off the contest, 4-3.
Escalon scored a run in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth. Ripon had two runs in the third and one in the seventh. Escalon had six hits and two errors on the afternoon and Ripon had four hits and two errors.
"Wednesday at Modesto Christian, we won 2-0," said coach Dianna Teixeira, noting that the girls played a smart game and, unlike the last time the two teams played, held on to the lead and took the contest.
It was a scoreless game until the top of the fifth, when Escalon pushed its two runs across the plate.
"Lounette Jackson singled, Hillary Jones bunted and both were safe," Teixeira said, noting that MC did not record an out on what was originally a sacrifice bunt attempt.
Then the Crusaders settled down and recorded two outs, with Escalon runners still on base.
"Audree Mendez then had a two-strike count and got a single with an RBI," Teixeira said. "Casey Schmidig then singled with an RBI and that was it, Miss Caitlin did the rest."
That 'Miss Caitlin' was starting pitcher Caitlin Brooks, who handcuffed the MC hitters, striking out 13 while walking one and allowing just one hit, a seventh inning single.
"The last time, we gave it away, too many errors," Teixeira said.
This time, her team played smart and didn't let the one error they did make hurt them.
Host MC had one error as well and Escalon had six hits, with two by Casey Schmidig, two from Mendez, the Jackson single and a single by Kattie Schmidig.
"Kattie called an awesome game, moving the pitches around," Teixeira noted of signal caller Schmidig.
Back at home on Friday to host Ripon, the girls got a scare but pulled off the contest, 4-3.
Escalon scored a run in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth. Ripon had two runs in the third and one in the seventh. Escalon had six hits and two errors on the afternoon and Ripon had four hits and two errors.
