Rachel Ruiz's late homer sends Marina into CIF softball semifinals
SANTA FE SPRINGS — When the Marina softball team got off the bus on Wednesday, the players took notice of a fence fit for a fortress that extended from the left-field line to center field.
After the game, the Vikings were still talking about the girl who conquered the wall at St. Paul.
Rachel Ruiz's go-ahead home run in the sixth inning was the difference, as visiting Marina defeated St. Paul 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.
The towering two-run shot cleared the fence, which provides an approximately 20-foot-high partition between the baseball and softball fields at the Santa Fe Springs-based private school.
'That was gone,' said Shelly Luth, who co-coaches Marina along with Dan Hay. 'That was a launch by Rachel Ruiz.'
Gabriella DiBenedetto had reached base on a walk, and with two outs in the inning, Hay said he started yelling, 'Go, go, go,' when he thought the ball was going to go off the fence. In the end, she was able to trot home.
Ruiz wasn't taking any chances, either, although she cracked a wide smile as she rounded third and headed toward the plate.
'Honestly, I thought it was going to hit the top of the fence,' Ruiz said. '[Hay] told us before the game, 'If you see it going to the fence, you better run.' … I was running, and then I hear everyone cheering, and I'm like, 'What is going on?''
Ruiz said she didn't realize the ball had left the yard until she saw the umpire twirling his index finger to signal a home run.
Marina's ace pitcher Mia Valbuena, who played a big role in the team making it to the quarterfinals, recorded 10 strikeouts and had not surrendered a hit through the first four innings. Aleena Gutierrez broke up the no-hit bid leading off the fifth, an infield pop-up landing short of the second base position and digging into the dirt that she beat out.
The bases were loaded with one out following a hit batter and a walk. Then the second infield single of the inning — this one by Addisyn Navasu — knotted the score at 1-1.
Marina (17-13) was fortunate to get out of the inning with no further scoring from St. Paul (14-15). Audrey Prado sent a low line drive to left field. Halle Piramo made the catch and threw to third to double off the runner and bring an end to the frame.
'I was really focusing on throwing strikes,' said Valbuena, who racked up a dozen strikeouts. 'I feel like lately, especially, I've been able to trust my defense a lot more. They've been performing so well, so I know I have that trust in them.'
It was also a redemptive moment for Piramo, who had popped up a bunt that resulted in a double play with the Vikings looking to squeeze home a run in the second inning. Avi Valbuena had doubled to the left-center gap to give Marina two runners in scoring position.
Marina will travel to Yorba Linda (16-12) for a semifinal on Saturday at 11 a.m., as the Vikings attempt to reach the CIF finals for the first time since beating Mater Dei for the Division I title in 1995.
'We're just so excited,' said Mia Valbuena, who has allowed one run over 19 innings in three playoff games. 'I think our school is really proud of us, too. Last time we won, my mom [Willa Parchen] was playing here, so it's pretty cool. My mom played for Shelly, too, when she came here, so it's really cool. I feel like we're all really proud of ourselves, and we're just trying to keep the momentum going throughout all these games.'
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