Mesa Softball snaps losing streak on Saturday against South Mountain
Saturday April 13, 2024 - 6:30 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger
The MCC Softball team got back in the win column on Saturday as they took down South Mountain in game two of their DH.
The Lady T-Birds snapped their 22 game losing streak in a 6-5 come from behind victory over the Cougars. This is the first victory for Mesa since Feb. 27 when they took down Glendale in their conference opener.
Going into the fifth Mesa trailed 4-2 but would score four runs in the inning to swing the momentum in their favor to help them secure the game.
Elizabeth Luna led off the inning with a hit by pitch before quickly stealing second. Catalina Sanchez would help her own cause and bring Luna in off a blooper to right field. After Sanchez would advance to third on a passed ball Brooklyn Krasa would hit a single to center field to tie the game at four.
An Allison Wilson single would set up two on and two out after Alexxa Torres struck out swinging. Payton Brown would come to the dish and blast a line drive directly at the left fielder who was unable to make the catch, both Krasa and Wilson would sprint to the plate giving MCC the 6-4 advantage.
After the Cougars got one in the sixth and shut down the T-Birds in the bottom of the inning Mesa needed just three outs to secure the win. SMCC was able to get runners on first and second but were unable to bring either home as Alyssa Rico would make the game-ending catch to put the Cougars away.
Interim head coach Raychele Hernandez was extremely proud of her team after the win after such a long losing streak.
"I am just proud, it's a tough season. I think a lot of people from the outside looking in see how hard it is but it's also about getting results at the same time and now that we've shown we can do it everyone is just proud of each other," said Hernandez.
During the long stretch of the season it's easy to become unmotivated, add on top of that losing 22 games in a row most people would understand a lack of fight and acceptance of defeat, but not this group of T-Birds.
Mesa has not only battled a gauntlet on the field but off as their roster of 10 players does them no favors and calls for players to play in positions they aren't accustomed to. Brooklyn Krasa is a big example as a natural outfield (and very gifted at that) Krasa has had to step into the circle many times this season to pitch for Mesa.
Now that Mesa has another win under their belt and is riding high they must find a way to keep the momentum rolling in their favor as they still have 14 games left on the schedule. For Hernandez routine and sticking together as a coaching staff will be the key down the stretch.
"One thing we talked about is just staying in our routine, we recognized what was going on, we changed and let them know it was going to take a little time to get there. Also just our coaching staff sticking together, I want to give a shoutout to my coaching staff for just always being there helping get this win because it definitely wasn't just me this was everyone."
MCC will play six games in seven days as they will travel to take on both Paradise Valley (Tuesday) and Yavapai (Thursday), before returning home on Saturday to host Chandler-Gilbert.
