By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
One big inning helped propel the Rangers to the league championship in girls softball Saturday.
Leading 9-7, the Rangers exploded for 12 runs in the top of the third inning en route to a 22-8 run-rule victory in four innings in the championship game of the Del Rio Little League Softball Majors Division.
The Rangers took the lead in the first inning as their first four batters reached base and scored to set the tone for what would be an offensive exhibition for both teams. Alina Mojica, Amanda Muñiz, Gabriela Diaz and Janiah “Yaya” Ross set the tone as all four girls reached base on hits.
The Yankees got a run back in the bottom of the first, but the Rangers tacked on five more runs in the top of the second inning to build a 9-1 advantage.
Once again, Mojica, Muñiz, Diaz and Ross reached base and scored, but this time they were joined by Alyssa Garcia who reached on an infield single and later scored on a bases loaded walk to Audrina Vasquez.
The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the second inning, spurred on by an inside the park grand slam. They would score six runs in the inning to cut the Rangers’ lead to 9-7.
Then came the third inning.
The Rangers racked up 12 runs on eight hits, three walks and a trio of Yankees errors. Diaz had an inside the park two-run home run and Muñiz had a pair of doubles as 17 Rangers batted in the inning.
The Yankees managed to pick up a run in the bottom of the third for the team’s eighth run of the game.
Diaz tallied the Yankees’ final run with an inside the park solo home run in the top of the fourth inning to make the score 22-8 headed into the bottom of the fourth with the Yankees needing five runs to stave off an early finish.
But Ross, the Rangers’ starting pitcher, struck out a pair of batters and her defense helped pick off a runner off first base for the final out to secure the championship.
The Rangers’ roster included Mojica, Muñiz, Diaz, Ross, Garcia, Ryika Lowe, Miranda Zuniga, Noelle Willoughby, Sophia Quintero, Vasquez and Kaylee Veliz.
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