By Rick Assad
When the Burbank High softball team hosted Mayfield in a nonelague game on Monday afternoon at McCambridge Park, the real action took place in the early innings and the latter frames, and after six and a half were contested, the Bulldogs earned a 7-6 triumph behind a three-run sixth inning.
In that frame, seven batters trotted to home plate and four hitters reached base for the Bulldogs (3-7-1).
They were sophomore Chloe Updike, who singled to left field and scored, senior Charley Barnett, who also singled in the fourth inning, reached base on an error by the Cubs’ right fielder and scored and senior Samantha Cafferty, who doubled to left field also scored.
During the action, junior Kayla Orozco, who also tripled to right field in the first, added a run-scoring double to left field.
The Cubs (3-2) had the tying run on second base with two outs in the top of the seventh inning but failed to score.
Mayfield sent five batters to the plate and saw Jazmine Johnson (three hits) smack a leadoff inside-the-park homer to left field.
Mackenzie Taylor was the next batter and she singled to left field and eventually scored to make it 7-6.
Peyton Pegram struck out swinging for the first out and Kennedy Taylor hit a slicing liner that center fielder Updike (two hits) speared for the second out.
While Updike was sizzling at the plate, the slick-fielding outfielder had three defensive gems and they came in the second, fifth and seventh innings.
Delilah Rojas (two hits) singled to left with two out and took second base on a wild pitch, but Harlinn Moriarity popped to second base to end the game.
“I saw a team that didn’t give up and that’s coming together at the right time,” Burbank first-year coach Javier Rojas said. “Chloe at center field save the game with all her amazing catches and Kayla Orozco pitched well, and the defense backed her up.”
Orozco toiled seven innings and surrendered 11 hits and three strikeouts.
Moriarity went three frames and gave up six hits with one strikeout and one walk. Mackenzie Taylor allowed five hits over three innings, fanning three and walking one.
Burbank pulled ahead 2-0 in the first inning when it sent six batters to the plate as Updike singled to center field and scored on an infield grounder by Cafferty, who also singled in the fourth inning.
Barnett also crossed home plate after reaching on an infield error. Orozco tripled to right field and sophomore Kassandra Kimmer doubled in the frame.
Mayfield tallied four runs on four hits and two errors and sent eight batters to the dish in the second.
Kennedy Taylor doubled to left field, Sara Salazar tripled, Lexi Mason singled to center, Bridgette Carroll added a run-scoring grounder and Jazmine Johnson contributed a run-tallying infield single.
The Bulldogs came within 4-3 in the second inning as sophomore Alyssa Perez was safe on an infield miscue and also scored.
Burbank leveled it at 4-4 in the third frame as six batters came up to bat and Cafferty doubled to right field to lead off the inning, went to third base on a wild pitch and stole home. Perez also was safe on an infield hit but didn’t score.
