SOFTBALL: Milpitas Rallies to Earn Dramatic Win Over Lynbrook

Milpitas 7, Lynbrook 6

 The Star:  Trojan freshman Tiana Teixeira might have had her biggest game so far in her young career. The first year player drove in five RBIs, helping her team tally fours runs late to nab a Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division victory over Lynbrook High Monday afternoon. With two RBIs to her credit via the sacrifice fly already, the slugger came up with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the seventh. Teixeira ripped a three-run triple off Vikings senior pitcher Katherine Kai to deep left field that tied the game at six.

 Trojan Sophomore Alexis Pommier hit the game winning RBI. Pommier went 4-for-4 with two RBIs on the crystal clear afternoon.

 Turning Point: Despite four fielding errors by the Vikings (1-6-1,0 –2 El Camino) they were still in line for their first win in the El Camino League holding a comfortable 6-3 lead  over Milpitas(5-5, 3-0 ECL) going into the top of the seventh. All that fell apart after back-to-back walks were issued to open the final frame. With the bases loaded and no outs for the Trojans, Teixeira delivered a monster three-run triple over the left fielder that cleared the bases and tied the game at six. On very next at bat, Pommier hit the game winning RBI single down right field line that scored Teixeira, giving the Trojans the lead at 7-6.

 Quotes: “Basically I asked them (Trojans) to dig deep, pull out, and play Trojan ball,” said Trojan head coach Joanna Butcher. “They walked up with a little more confidence and it’s an idea that they needed to show. That swagger that they can get it done and they did it.”

 Teixeira knew what she had to do while waiting for her shot in the on deck circle.

 “When I was on deck, my mindset was just to bring those runs in to win this game,” Teixeira said. “I was just confident in my team that we were going to come back and beat them,”

 Lynbrook suffered a tough defeat, but its head coach still liked what she saw in the effort department.

 “More than anything, I’m just hoping that the girls really just come out and just play their game---and just have fun what their doing. And today we actually saw that from innings one though seven,” Vikings head coach Stacey Benzing said about her team’s performance. “They enjoyed being out there—they were intense and that’s what I’m hoping for and if the cards fall our way that would be great. And if not, if they play hard that’s all I can ask for.”

 Despite losing 7-6, Vikings pitcher Katherine Kai did finish with a complete game.

 What’s Next: Milpitas will host Cupertino and hopefully build on its undefeated league record on Wednesday (3/30), while Lynbrook tries to bounce back as they head to Gunn on Wednesday (3/30).

 Bottom Line: Milpitas evens out their overall record at 5-5 and also stays pace with defending champs Gunn in El Camino play.

-         - - - - - - - -.............................................................................................

 M 1 0 2 0 0 0 4 -  7  7  2

 L  2 0 2 0 2 0 0 -  6  8  4

 WP: Mosqueda    LP: Kai