Girls softball Bishop Amat vs. St. Paul for Del Rey Leauge title at York Field in Whittier on Monday, May 11, 2015. St. Paul wins 6-4. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda/ Whittier Daily News)
By Stephen Ramirez
steve.ramirez@langnews.com
@SteveRRamirez on Twitter
WHITTIER >> The Del Rey League softball championship will remain at St. Paul High School.
Myranda Bueno had three hits and four RBIs and the Swordsmen clinched a share of the league title Monday with a 6-4 victory over rival Bishop Amat at York Field.
Gabby Walker was steady in the circle and had a RBI single for the go-ahead run in the fifth for St. Paul, which improved to 19-6 overall and 10-1 in league play. The Swordsmen won the Del Rey League en route to the CIF-Southern Section Division III title last season.
Alyssa Barrera hit a two-run home run in the seventh and Miranda Larios had four hits and a RBI for the Lancers, who slipped to 16-7 and 9-2.
“This means a lot,” Bueno said. “We knew people were talking about us this year, about how we lost all our seniors from last year. But we’re back in it.”
St. Paul, after giving up the lead in the top of the fifth, regained it in the bottom of the inning. Sydney Kriemann was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before Niko Walker walked. Gabby Walker, with runners on second and third and two outs, then lined a RBI single to right field for the 3-2 lead.
Jacilyn Candelas then walked with the bases loaded to make it 4-2 before Bueno singled to right-center for two runs and a 6-2 lead.
“I faced Samaria (Diaz) in practice on my travel ball team,” Bueno said. “I was just doing what I usually do.”
Bishop Amat tried to rally in the seventh. Rayne Barragan led off with a single and Barrera homered to right field to cut it to 6-4. Larios then singled with one out before Madeline Ramirez reached on a fielding error.
Gabby Walker then ended it by inducing Julia Menrad to pop out to short.
“It’s all about timely hitting,” Bishop Amat coach Kristen Dedmon said. (St. Paul) came up with runners on base and they were able to put the ball in play.
“We started to rally back in the last inning, but we needed to do that earlier in the game.”
Bishop Amat took the early lead, going up 1-0 in the second on a walk to Menrad, a single by Julia Valenzuela and RBI ground out by Sabrina Gonzalez.
St. Paul countered with two runs on a pop double by Bueno for a 2-1 lead. The Swordsmen then put it away with its four-run fifth.
