Cardiac kids rally past San Jose and Butte (twice)

Cardiac kids rally past San Jose and Butte (twice)

If the West Valley softball team learned anything from its three comeback wins last week, it's that no matter the score or inning, these Vikings can rally for a win. Presented as evidence: a three-run explosion in the top of the eighth for a 9-6 win at San Jose City in the Coast opener and 4-2 and 4-3 wins over Butte Friday in Saratoga.

After the Vikings (15-3, 1-0 Coast) handed San Jose City (10-2, 0-1) four runs in the bottom of the seventh, evening the score at 6-6, the Vikings put a trio of game-winning runs on the board in the top of the eighth.

Keithleen Gonzalez was hit by a Justine Valdivia pitch to lead off the eighth. Gonzalez moved to second on an Alina Perez single and then both runners advanced on a double steal. A Jasmine Mixco grounder was trouble for the Jaguars, resulting in an E3 that allowed Gonzalez and Perez to cross the plate.

Andrea DeJesus grounded out to third, scoring Mixco and giving WVC a 9-6 advantage. A three-up-three-down Jaguar eighth, including back-to-back strikeouts from Viking reliever Xochitl Garcia ended it.

Two days later, WVC had to mount comebacks to run its winning streak to six.

The Roadrunners (3-9) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first but would never score again. The Vikings, meanwhile, added a solo run in the fourth, the equalizer in the fifth, and two game-winning tallies in the sixth.

WVC starter Miranda Torres twirled 5.2 innings to up the win in the circle, while reliever Alysia Elizarrey earned the save.

Butte again jumped out fast in game two, this time with three runs in the top of the third. The 3-0 lead lasted only as long as it took Chloe Wright to club a two-run homer in the fourth and Brianna Chambers Lee to lace an RBI-single in the fifth. Chambers Lee gave the Vikings a walk-off win with an RBI double that brought DeJesus home.

Ashlie Nakano picked up the win in the circle, while Chambers Lee led the Vikings offense with a 3-for-4, two-RBI outing.