By Rick Assad
Kayla Salazar made her varsity debut a memorable one as the right-handed pitcher dominated in the circle and also chipped in with the only run batted in on Tuesday afternoon at McCambridge Park.
Providence edged host Burbank 1-0 in a nonleague softball game as the freshman struck out 12, surrendered one hit, issued two walks and two hit batters across five and one-third innings.
Salazar’s single to center field in the third inning scored freshman Brooklyn Freed, who lined a one-out double down the left-field line.
Freed added a two-base hit in the first inning and went to third base on a force but did not score.
Providence is 2-0 and Burbank is 0-2 but the season is still young and is going to get even more interesting.
Manny Travieso is Providence’s head coach and was proud of the entire squad.
“Our team has worked extremely hard throughout the offseason to prepare ourselves by competing against strong programs and putting ourselves in the best position to win,” he said. “Since we are not in a league this year, every game is important as we work toward earning a CIF opportunity.”
Travieso praised each pitcher who was in the circle.
“Both pitching staffs were on,” he stated. “We just came up with literally one more run.”
Salazar struck out two batters in the first inning when junior Chloe Updike fanned looking and freshman Cassie Sanchez was also called out on strikes.
The second inning was even better for the freshman as she struck out three batters in the frame.
They were junior Kassandra Kimmer-Davila swinging, freshman Heather Nielsen on a dropped third strike and a catcher to first base throw and junior Holly Cashman swinging.
Salazar was just heating up as she raised the total to eight strikeouts after whiffing three more in the third inning and all were swinging strikes.
They included junior Melanie Cendejos, sophomore Sienna Hale and junior Alyssa Perez.
Two more batters were sent back to the dugout after striking out swinging in the fourth inning and were freshman Addison Lombardo, who pitched well after working five innings, allowing five hits with six strikeouts and four hit batters and Kimmer-Davila.
Salazar allowed her only hit in the fifth inning and that came off the bat of the leadoff hitter in the frame, Nielsen, who lined a single to center field.
The Bulldogs sent six batters to the plate in that stanza and three reached base, but none scored.
Nielsen moved to second base on a walk to Cashman and after hitting Hale with a toss, the bases were loaded.
Salazar escaped after getting Perez to fly to center field and striking out Updike swinging.
The Bulldogs sent five batters to home plate in the sixth inning as Lombardo reach on a throwing error and Sanchez moved her over on a sacrifice bunt.
Kimmer-Davila walked and Salazar was relieved by sophomore Madelynn Watts, who retired Nielsen on a fly to center field and Cashman on a grounder.
Patti Workman is Providence’s assistant coach and the pitching coach and liked what Salazar delivered.
“This was Kayla’s first high school varsity start and she did great,” she said. “She showed great composure in the circle throughout the game and drove in the game’s only run to secure the win and combined with Maddie Watts (one and two-third innings with two strikeouts) for a shut out.”
Javier Rojas is Burbank’s head coach and likewise liked what he observed between the two teams.
“I saw a great game between two good teams. My pitcher, Addison Lombardo, pitched amazing and [senior] Kayla McPherson (two innings with five strikeouts and one walk) came in to pitch amazing,” he said. “We played solid defense, but we need to hit with runners on and that’s something we work on to get us ready for the Pacific League.”
Senior Gigi Aleman singled to left field with one out in the fifth inning and freshman Melissa Buckwoski had a leadoff single to center field in the sixth inning for the Pioneers.
