Eagles varsity softball loses to El Camino Real

With so few games against Mission League teams, the Chaminade varsity softball team has been scheduling many games against other schools across the San Fernando Valley. Most recently, after an intense six innings of back and forth game play and one remarkable inning on El Camino’s part, Chaminade suffered a 6-1 loss to the Conquistadors.

The first inning began with a textbook bunt by El Camino’s Madi Gilmore only to be fielded by Chaminade’s pitcher, Spencer Estrada, for the out. Estrada followed up the act with a strike out. The top of the first inning ended as Lucy Yang stole her way to second and Zoe Shaw hit a grounder to first where Chaminade’s Nicole Kuberka tagged the base for the out.

The Chaminade girls began the bottom of the first inning with a bang as Danae Blodgett, a UCLA commit, hit a single past Yang to center field. Amanda Grimes followed up Blodgett’s hit with a sacrifice bunt, moving Blodgett to second base. Rachel Barker hit a single to left field moving Blodgett to third. Barker stole second putting Barker and Blodgett in scoring position, but they were unable to score, ending the inning, 0-0.  

Moving into the second inning, Chaminade put away El Camino in four easy plays; a combination of great fielding by Harrison Ashby, Grimes, and Kuberka and pitching by Estrada. But El Camino maintained the score by shutting down Chaminade with a strikeout and two great plays.

Estrada began the third inning with two strikeouts. Chaminade followed by being the first to put some runs on the board. Grimes scored after Kuberka, batting clean-up, knocked Grimes home to put the Chaminade Eagles in the lead, 1-0.

El Camino kept the score low with two strikeouts courtesy of Emma Jackson in the fifth inning.

Home-field advantage was seemingly prevailing for the Eagles until the sixth inning, when the Conquistadors put themselves on the board as well. Estrada walked Gilmore and an overthrow allowed her to advance to second base. Blodgett made a great catch in center, throwing home to Barker, unable to get a double play, but preventing Gilmore from scoring. Yang’s single to left, got her to first, but more importantly allowed Gilmore to tie the score.

Estrada hit a ground single to left field, however Chaminade was unable to gain a lead in the sixth inning. They moved into the final inning tied with the Conquistadors, 1-1.

Paige Daniels began the seventh inning with a single to second base. Ashby caught the ball in an amazing dive, however Daniels was safe. Estrada walked Marcella Vargas putting players on first and second. Riley Blue followed up with a sacrifice bunt putting Daniels and Vargas in scoring position. Gilmore cleaned up the bases with a triple, bringing Daniels and Vargas home and putting El Camino in the lead, 3-1.

Tara Monaco, pulled up from El Camino’s junior varsity, hit a single to third base bringing Gilmore home. Yang ended the scoring with a home run over the right field fence, adding two more runs to the board.

Chaminade tried at their last at bat, but ended the game with the 6-1 loss.

Keep up with the girls and see where they go next at www.chaminade.org. 

—Sallie DeYoung