FRESNO – The time came for Orange Cove to step up and seize the moment in their Central Section D-V Quarterfinals game against Hoover. But when the Titans tried to reach out and grab it, disaster struck.
It felt like a first inning of tragic proportions for Orange Cove. Botched plays, miscues in the field and missed opportunities led to five errors that doomed the No. 5 seed Titans in their 5-4 loss to the No. 4 seed Patriots at the Hoover Varsity Softball Field on May 20.
“When you come to these types of games, you got to seize the moment. I mean, you got to play 90% from the shoulder up, think about the ball, where are you going with the ball,” said Orange Cove head coach Victor Contreras. “In the first inning, we played sloppily and it cost us.”
That terrible first inning felt like it would never end. In that inning of woes for the Titans, Hoover stayed aggressive at the plate and on the base paths. When Orange Cove had to come up with the routine outs, throws sailed high and wide and the ball flew in every direction.
“Instead of going to one, they went home, the catcher throwing to second base, nobody there,” said Contreras. “They have to understand that when you’re in this type of game, you gotta know what you’re doing, just don’t work on impulse.”
The Patriots mounted their charge and opened up a 4-0 lead before the Titans even recorded their first out. Orange Cove’s starter, Daisy Relgalado labored, but managed to grit out some quality pitches and tough calls behind the plate to finally end the struggle.
The Titans, who are used to jumping out to leads early and often, found themselves playing from behind for the rest of the game. Coming into the game, Orange Cove batted .409 in three consecutive contests; having regrouped from their earlier maladies, the Titans’ had every reason to believe they could pull out a comeback.
The Titans managed to keep the pressure on the Patriots, scoring one in their half of the first, and two in the third; but they still couldn’t mount a lengthy rally. Hoover starter Hazel Martinez held her ground and kept the hot-hitting Titans’ from gaining any steam. Martinez surrendered just 5 hits, and struck out 11 Orange Cove hitters in a complete game masterpiece.
In their final at-bat, still trailing by one run, the Titans still had a chance to seize that moment. But in the end, looking somewhat fatigued, Hoover shut the door, locked it and held on for the slim victory.
Despite the loss, the Titans still have plenty of reasons to hold their heads up high. Having lost seven players from last season’s team that finished 21-10, a return trip to the playoffs was never in doubt, but seemed unlikely.
“We lost seven starters and came back to play the way we did this year; nobody likes to lose, but we’re growing,” said Contreras.
