by 
San Manuel freshman Nikki Baldenegro takes a pitch during last Friday’s game. Luberda | Miner
Lady Miners’ Alyssa Cuellar connects against the Lady Cats. Luberda | Miner
Copper Area News
Before last Friday’s game versus top-ranked San Manuel, the Ray softball team was sixth in the most recent AIA rankings. But after an intense 9 – 8 victory against the defending back-to-back state champions, the Lady Cats are the new No. 1 team in the state.
“A win like this give us a boost and hopefully gives us some drive,” Lady Cats’ head coach Rikki Galka said after the game. “I just hope our younger players can see what they’re capable of.”
Ray’s Savannah Willis provided the late-game heroics to lead the Lady Cats to the win. After Naomi Hing and Janae Ruiz reached on a walk and an error, respectively, the senior catcher ripped a three-run homerun in the top of the sixth inning, breaking a 6 – 6 tie.
“No,” Willis answered when asked if she knew the ball was gone when she hit it. “Not until I almost reached second and then I saw (the outfielder) walking back. I was just happy.”
Left-hander Stormee Galka started the game for the Lady Cats, pitching three scoreless innings as her team built a five-run lead. But the Lady Miners battled back, coming up with four hits, including RBI singles by Mariah McBride and Dionne Ruiz. San Manuel also took advantage of three errors in the inning to tie the game 5 – 5 heading into the fifth.
“To be able to say we beat the No. 1 team and we had that many errors,” Stormee Galka would say afterwards. “It feels good to know we’re capable of taking state.”
Each team scored a run in the fifth inning. In the top half, Ray’s Elisa Rodriguez hit an RBI single to reclaim the lead for the Lady Cats. But again the Lady Miners responded, this time on an RBI double by senior captain Felicia Medina.
After Willis’ three-run homer, the Lady Miners stormed back a third time, coming up with three hits, including an RBI single by Alyssa Cuellar. Another error by Ray, which had nine in the game, led to another run. At the end of the sixth, the Lady Miners trailed by only one run, 9 – 8.
San Manuel had one last chance in the bottom of seventh after two more errors by Ray put runners on first and second with one out, but the Lady Cats were able to secure the last two outs to close out the victory.
“We’ve been hitting really well this season,” Rikki Galka said. “And that has allowed us to keep winning because, obviously, our defense is (a work in progress).
The loss was only the Lady Miners’ second in their last 12 games. Head coach Deanne Brewer was pleased with the way her team continued to battle from behind. She is certain to have her players’ attention when practice rolls around. For a team with as much success as San Manuel, which is now ranked third, there are few and far between coaching opportunities.
“(Coming from behind) is important to us and it shows our character,” Brewer told Copper Area News. “And the loss gives us an opportunity to see the areas we still need to work on because the few minor mistakes we made were costly.”
Ray upcoming schedule: Apr. 9 at Duncan, Apr. 10 at San Carlos (6 p.m.), Apr. 13 at Gilbert Classical Academy, and Apr. 14 at Desert Christian. All games are scheduled for 4 p.m. unless noted otherwise.
San Manuel upcoming schedule: Apr. 10 at Pima and Apr. 13 at Desert Christian. Both games are scheduled for 4 p.m.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
by by