Victoria East's Marina Rios attempts to slide around a tag from Gregory-Portland catcher Marissa Sanchez at home plate during Thursday evening's playoff game at Sinton. The Titans defeated the Lady Cats 3-2 in 10 innings, securing a No. 1 seed in the District 30-4A.
Tenth inning rally lifts Titans to top spot over G-P
Originally published April 21, 2011 at 11:12 p.m., updated April 21, 2011 at 11:35 p.m.
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ANGELI WRIGHT/AWRIGHT@VICAD.COM
Gregory-Portland's Marissa Sanchez beats Victoria East third baseman Marina Rios to the third base during Thursday evening's playoff game at Sinton.
ANGELI WRIGHT/AWRIGHT@VICAD.COM
Victoria East's Monica Salizar hits the ball during Thursday evening's playoff game against Gregory-Portland at Sinton. The Titans defeated the Lady Cats 3-2.
SINTON - Of all the outcomes Kaitlyn Morgan needed, a short chopper was the least likely to work.
With the junior standing on third, it didn't matter what kind of hit it was, line drive or dribbler, her marching orders were to head home as fast as she could.
"I was going either way," said Morgan, who was the designated player in the East lineup. "We wanted to be first in district."
She had reached on a single to open the 10th inning, and had made it to third with two outs left. When Brianna Arguello chopped the ball into the ground, she took off. For a moment, the surprise was tangible among the Gregory-Portland fielders.
"It seemed like they were a bit nervous, like they didn't know what to do," Morgan said. "They were in shock, like they didn't know what was going on."
They weren't expecting a weak chopper in front of home plate. There was a moment of confusion from the fielders as they hurried toward it when Morgan charged past, touching home plate.
They looked up to see catcher Marissa Sanchez with the ball in her hand, hoping for a play at first, only to watch Arguello touch the bag.
"I was very shocked that I got it. I just kept telling myself that I needed a hit," said the sophomore shortstop.
The hit gave the Titans a 3-2 win over the Lady Cats on Thursday night in a one-game playoff to decide the top seed in District 30-4A. The win means the Titans will play District 29-4A's San Antonio Brackenridge next week in the bi-district round of the playoffs.
The two teams finished co-champions of the district, with identical 8-2 marks in district play. But this was a game that Titans coach Jody Morgan had told her team time and again that they needed to have.
"We knew we needed this win, but we couldn't get carried away," Arguello said. "We just needed to do our best."
The win also means the Titans will avoid Corpus Christi Moody, the winner of District 31-4A and one of the top-ranked teams in the state, according to the Texas Girls Coaches Association.
For much of the night, the Titans did not have a rosy outlook of the plate. East's bats had been quiet the last time they met G-P, a 4-2 loss in Portland, and Thursday night wasn't much better.
Lexie Elkins had four of East's nine hits, and was 4 for 5 with a double. She scored once, on a double with Morgan in the first that put the Titans up 2-0.
Arguello said the Titans were overthinking their at-bats, causing them to struggle against a familiar but talented pitcher in the Lady Cats' Haley Kirkland.
"I think that we think to much in the box," Arguello said. "We just need to clear our mind and relax in the box and let it flow."
East's Alisha Quinterro was matching Kirkland pitch for pitch much of the game, effectively wild throughout. The freshman pitcher walked six batters and ran full counts to many more, but was able to keep G-P's batters off balance with a combination of strong pitches and good defense behind her.
"We were talking a lot more, instead of just one person," Arguello said.
The only blemishes on her otherwise spotless record came in the sixth inning, when Sanchez stole two bases to get to third for Loren Stuive, who drove her in with a single. Stuive later scored on a single by Brooke Sanderlin.
Victoria East 3, Gregory-Portland 2
G-P 000 002 000 0 - 2 8 2
East 200 000 000 1 - 3 9 2
WP - Alisha Quinterro, LP - Haley Kirkland. Highlights: Lexie Elkins 4 for 5, 2B, R; Marina Rios 2 for 4, 2B, 2 RBIs, HBP; Briana Arguello 1 for 4, RBI; Alisha Quinterro 11 10 IP, 6 Ks; (G-P) Haley Kirkland 9 2/3 IP, 7 Ks.
