By Rick Assad
Facing top-shelf nonleague competition is often beneficial when it comes to playing in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
At least the Burbank High softball team hopes this will be the case after taking on Camarillo on Monday afternoon at McCambridge Park.
The Bulldogs proved a worthy opponent because the game was a one-run affair after six innings until the Scorpions broke through for five runs in the seventh and secured a 9-3 victory.
Camarillo produced a dozen hits and collected at least one hit in every inning.
Burbank’s Kara Valencia had a productive day at the plate as she garnered three hits and added two runs batted in.
“I saw a really good game where we had our bats on it for a bit,” said Valencia, a senior right fielder. “I’m proud of us getting a few hits and runs. Overall, it was a good game.”
After the Scorpions, who have scored 10 runs or more in three games and now have a five-game winning streak, struck for two runs in the top of the first inning on a run-scoring triple to left field by senior Jadalynn Sovey and a sacrifice fly by sophomore Cali Howe against junior ace pitcher Maddison Kellogg, the Bulldogs (7-9) tied it at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame.
Eight batters made their way to the plate as senior leadoff hitter Belinda Lujano lashed an opposite-field single to left.
Senior Eliza Bowren, who chipped in with two singles, walked and Valencia walloped a run-scoring base hit to center field.
Sophomore Kayla Orozco then sent a double to left center as the second run crossed the plate.
In the second, Burbank, which finished with nine hits, edged ahead 3-2 as Valencia smashed a one-out, run-tallying single to right field.
“I think spring break was good for the girls,” Burbank coach Melissa Sanchez said of her team. “They came back well rested and feeling good. So happy about how they hit the ball.”
Sanchez also praised Camarillo.
“That is a great team with a great coaching staff. They have strong hitters. We weren’t able to finish in the end. However, I am happy with the way they played. Eliza and Kara’s bats are getting hot at the right time. Belinda started off the game strong with a hit,” she said. “Can’t sleep on Charlie [Barnett]. Charlie hit the ball nice. Kayla was strong at the plate with a well-placed RBI. We are peaking at a great time. We will continue to make adjustments and get better. We look forward to the rest of our season.”
The Scorpions (12-2) evened it at 3-3 in the third inning as sophomore Laynee Flores lofted a sacrifice fly to center field.
In the top of the fourth, Camarillo pushed in front 4-3 as senior Justice Flores (two hits) delivered a one-out RBI single to center field.
Kellogg went six-plus innings, allowing 11 hits and had nine strikeouts with five walks and two hit batters.
The seventh frame saw the Scorpions send eleven hitters to home plate as junior Alianna Rodriguez clubbed a two-run double to left field and Howe added a run-tallying grounder.
Camarillo had three hits in the inning but the Bulldogs committed three errors that prolonged the stanza.
Senior Sophia Valencia contributed three singles for the Scorpions.
Barnett, a junior, singled to center in the second inning and junior Olivia Orozco doubled to left field in the sixth for the Bulldogs.
