With a late offensive surge, County defeated City 7-4 at the 38th Annual City County All-Star Softball game on June 19 at Fresno State’s Margie Wright Diamond.
While County’s offense was kept off the scoreboard throughout the first six innings, City was looking to hold its 3-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.
But back-to-back hits for County by Firebaugh’s Marissa Gutierrez and Kingsburg’s Madison Alves put pressure on Clovis North’s Sierra Freeman on the mound.
A wild pitch allowed gave County its first run of the game as Gutierrez came home from third. Successive hits tallied one more run for County, despte Clovis East’s Aubrey Mcgregor-Moore making an athletic play in left field.
In the same inning with bases loaded, a pitching change put Bullard’s Melina Anguiano on the mound. The change did not prove fruitful, however, as Hanford West’s Josie Simas lined a triple to right field, clearing the base pads and putting County ahead, 5-3.
County would tack on one more run for a 6-3 lead before the City team managed to work out of the inning. Both teams would score one more run each before the end of the match, but the late offensive push by County proved too much for the City team to overcome.
The nine-inning match was played with special all-star rules, allowing for free substitutions.
On the City team, 10 representatives from Clovis Unified high schools filled the roster spots, including Buchanan’s Rachel Kessler, Michelle Kroell, Kailyne Luna and Claire Buckley.
From Clovis East, Mcgregor-Moore and Jasmine Megerdichian suited up, along with Clovis High’s Grace Henson and Clovis West’s Mary Mets.
Clovis North players Mckenzie Everhart and Freeman, who although getting the loss on the mound, provided one of the team’s only RBI.
Earning the MVP Award for the City team was McLane’s April Xiong, who recorded a double in her only at-bat and later scored a run. For County, it was the late-inning hero Simas, who posted a one for three line, her only hit being a three-RBI triple. She later made her way home to score a run.
The Jenny Eller Most Inspirational Player Award for City went to Buchanan’s Buckley and Reedley’s Emma Mulligan for County.
Coaching the City team was Clovis North head coach Courtney Dale. Coaching on the COunty team side was Hanford West head coach Rus Heffley.
Prior to the game, Madera High School head coach Judy Shaubach was inducted into the City County All-Star Hall of Fame. Shaubach has coached at Madera High School since 1989. She also played four seasons of softball at Fresno State during which she went to two Women’s College World Series.