By Rick Assad
A first step was taken to something bigger and better by the Burroughs High softball team versus Hart on Thursday afternoon at Olive Park.
In a CIF Southern Section Division IV opening-round playoff game, the Bears proved victorious over the Hawks 6-1 behind the hitting of Sophie Rangsiyawong and the pitching of Valentina Reyes, and the defensive was flawless.
Rangsiyawong rapped three hits including a two-run home run late in the contest.
“That was one of the most fun games I have played in a while,” Rangsiyawong said. “Everyone had really good energy that translated into how we played.”
Reyes tamed the Hawks (14-13) across seven effective innings, allowing six hits, striking out three and working two perfect frames in the first and the third innings.
“Valentina pitched an amazing game and I wanted to do everything I could to help her with some run support,” said Rangsiyawong of the junior hurler.
Junior Chloe Zavala contributed a single and a double and knocked in two runs while sophomore Haven Vickers added a two-run single for the Bears (15-13).
Eight days earlier, Hart defeated visiting Burroughs 8-6 and this triumph had to be especially sweet.
Doug Nicol is the longtime Burroughs head coach and saw his team play well at the plate, in the circle and on the defensive end.
“We played so strongly in all three phases of the game. I’m super proud of how they played,” he offered. “We pushed them really hard this week and they responded.”
Nicol believes this game stood out because it was a team effort.
“This is our best overall game this year,” he stated. “We had struggled recently but the girls pushed through and showed so much resilience. We never gave up and kept on working. Great effort today.”
Burroughs scored two runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings while the Hawks tallied a solo run in the fifth.
In the initial frame, the Bears used a two-hit, two-run frame when seven batters came to the plate including Rangsiyawong, who led off with an infield single.
Vickers then walked and after Karlee Earl bounced out to the pitcher, sophomore Kalani Miramontes was intentionally walked.
With one out and two runners in scoring position, Zavala stepped up and ripped a double to center field as both runners crossed the plate that made it 2-0.
“I really liked how the team was determined to win,” said Earl, a senior who singled in the third inning but didn’t score. “We pulled together and got the job done. This win gives us momentum for our next game.”
Three frames later, Burroughs exploded for two runs on two hits and pulled ahead 4-0 as six hitters walked to the plate.
Both hits came with two outs as Vickers laced a hard-hit single to right field as two runners crossed the plate to make it 4-0.
Two more runs were tallied in the sixth inning as Rangsiyawong hammered a one-out, two-run rocket over the fence in left center that increased the advantage to 6-1.
“That was my first home run at our home field and it being during playoffs was truly a blessing,” Rangsiyawong said of her long blast.
The Hawks scored one run in the top of the fifth as freshman Eden Carrera led off with a single up the middle and took second base on a fielder’s choice by freshman Mackenzie Druez.
Carrera moved to third base on a grounder by senior Bella Marquez and scored on senior Jessica Gutierrez’s grounder back to the pitcher.
Junior Gabriella Kobliska fanned six and allowed seven hits over six frames for the Hawks.
