The East Union Lancers got a gutty performance from hurler Lily Pickering while racking up 15 hits, the biggest of all being a walk-off single by freshman Rhyan Murillo to beat the Manteca Buffaloes 6-5 in an eight-inning classic at Northgate Softball Complex on Tuesday afternoon.
“We’ve said it all season; these girls are just so resilient,” Lancers head coach David Garza said. “A ton of things went against us in this game. They had every opportunity to give up, and we just kept battling, and I could not be more proud of them.”
A lead-off triple in the top of the eighth inning from Caliyah Lopez (3 for 5, two runs) proved to be the catalyst East Union needed late in what was a wild game full of just about everything. With the speedy Lopez on base, Manteca head coach Josh Farris was forced to intentionally walk two runners to load the bases with nobody out to set up the force play at home. Buffaloes pitcher Isabel Tonna got the groundball she needed to force Caliyah Lopez at home, bringing up Murillo.
“Honestly, I was really nervous,” Murillo said. “The inning before, I was up in a similar spot, and they made a great double play. This time, I was just up there looking for a pitch in the zone I could drive.”
Murillo did just that, smashing a ball down the left-field line to score Savanna Lopez and send the Lancers pouring out on the field to surround the hitter.
“For her to come up as a freshman in that spot after we had so many chances that we couldn’t capitalize on early in the game is just so impressive,” Garza said. “It’s the character of this team to just not give up.”
The win makes it three in their last four Valley Oak League games for the surging Lancers (3-6, 12-10 overall), picking up a key victory over a Manteca (4-3, 11-7) team they hadn’t beaten in nearly two years.
“It means a ton to get this win against a really good team,” Pickering said. “A lot of us play travel ball with those girls, and it feels good to get one against them, for sure.”
The Lancers had to play catch-up this time around in the rivalry, after Manteca was able to scratch across two runs in the top of the first along with another in the second to make it 3-0 for the visitors.
“Credit to them; they are a really well-coached team that you can see are heading in the right direction,” Manteca head coach Josh Farris said. “We came out and were able to score some runs early, but credit to Lily; she really limited the damage and kept them in the game.”
After Manteca starting pitcher Riley Ward (two innings, strikeout) got out of a based-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the second, East Union finally broke through in the third scoring three runs highlighted by a two-run double from catcher Na'meen Harper (3 for 4, run four RBIs). An Elli Flores two-out single would bring Harper in to tie the game and force Harris to go to the bullpen and bring in the senior Tonna.
Harper would strike again in the fourth inning with a key two-out, two-RBI single to put the Lancers up, 5-3.
The Buffaloes showed some resilience themselves in the top of the sixth, battling back for two runs off of Pickering highlighted by an RBI single from Marissa San Nicolas (2 for 4, run, RBI) and a sacrifice fly by Aleisa Harris to tie the game and set up the epic finish between two teams that did not give up all afternoon long.
“This would have been a great game to be watching as a fan,” Farris said. “It had everything and honestly it doesn’t feel great to not win it but I told our girls this game does not define us and we have it in us to battle back from this and make a run.”
For the Lancers, Tuesday’s victory could represent a turning point in a season that now sees them well positioned for a postseason berth.
“We’ve put ourselves in about every situation imaginable this season,” Garza said. “A win like this should prove to this group we can play with anybody.”
Up next for Manteca is a trip to Patterson on Thursday. East Union will get a week off before heading to second-place Oakdale next Tuesday afternoon.
