Lady Indians defeat Santa Fe, 5-1, to win the NJCAA South Atlantic District B Championship
Chipola will play in Yuma, Arizona on May 19-24 in the NJCAA D1 Softball World Series
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Lauren Grantham picked a great day to pitch her first complete game of the season for the Lady Indians. With a berth in the NJCAA D1 Softball World Series on the line, Grantham scattered eight hits over seven innings to lead the Lady Indians (33-19) over #15 Santa Fe, 5-1.
The Lady Indians' first run of the day almost did not happen. With two outs in the top of the third inning, Irene Rabasco walked on four pitches. Chipola's next batter, Kayla Franklin hit a line drive into right centerfield. As Rabasco came around second headed to third, the Santa Fe shortstop stepped into her path and collided with her prompting a delayed obstruction call.
As Rabasco collected herself and headed toward third, Santa Fe's relay throw sailed over the head of the third baseman. As Rabasco tried to head home, she was knocked down by the Saints' third baseman. The home plate umpire immediately awarded Rabasco home and Kayla Franklin scrambled into third.
After the Santa Fe head coach questioned the call and the three umpires conferred, it was ruled that Rabasco was not trying to go home so she was placed back on third and Franklin was sent back to second.
Despite the controversial call, the Lady Indians, as they had done the entire tournament, overcame the setback. Their hottest hitter over the week's four games, Diana Arcay, came to the plate and delivered another big hit. Arcay's line drive to centerfield went over the head of the Saints' defender and brought in two runs for the Lady Indians and Arcay scampered into second with her eighth hit of the tournament.
Chipola wasn't finished scoring in the inning. Anyela Gomez Ruiz stepped to the plate and on a 3-2 count tomahawked a pitch down the leftfield line to plate Arcay.
Santa Fe answered quickly in the bottom of the third. After a leadoff triple, a single into right field cut Chipola's lead to 3-1.
Chipola would add single runs in each of the final two innings. A two-out pinch-hit single from Josefina Lacalle scored Gabrie Flowers from second in the sixth and a bases loaded walk added a run in the seventh.
After Santa Fe's run in the third, Grantham did not allow a runner to touch third. The Saints' best opportunity came in the sixth inning. The first batter in the inning tried to stretch a double into a triple but a perfect relay throw from Anyela Gomez Ruiz in right field to Gabrie Flowers to Irene Rabasco thwarted the attempt.
"Words can't express how very proud of this team I am," said head coach Kelly Brookins. "They believed and fought to the very end. What a ride this past week has been but we're not done yet!"
GAME NOTES
- Sophomore Diana Arcay finished the tournament batting 8-13 (.615) with a pair of doubles, a home run, and seven RBI.
- Four Lady Indians were named to the All-Tournament team: Arcay; Kayla Franklin; Anyela Gomez Ruiz; and Lauren Grantham.
- Chipola will travel to Yuma, Arizona on May 19-24 to make their tenth NJCAA Tournament appearance in school history and first since 2021.
#ROAD2YUMA
Chipola will be one of 16 district winners and four at-large teams at the NJCAA D1 Softball World Series. The Lady Indians will find out their path to a fourth National Championship on Tuesday at 3 PM. The bracket will be revealed on the NJCAA Network.
NJCAA D1 SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES INFORMATION
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