The way Clovis softball head coach Mike Noel sees it, the Cougars had two choices down 5-0 to rival Buchanan: fold up and live to play another day or battle and fight to the last pitch.
They chose the latter.
The state’s No. 5 ranked team rallied for seven runs, all with two outs, in a decisive top of the fourth inning Tuesday night to defeat Buchanan 8-6 to win the Easter Softball Classic and move to 15-0 overall behind the gutsy pitching of sophomore spot-starter Allie Puente and a two-RBI single with the bases loaded from unsung hero Allie Young.
What an inning for Clovis softball, score 7 runs in inning highlighted by Allie Young’s 2-run double. Cougars lead Buchanan 7-5. @Clovissoftball pic.twitter.com/fn8eQPgoIw
— Paul Meadors (@paulmeadors) March 28, 2018
“I was proud of the effort overall,” Noel said. “To come back like that when we were down and tired I thought showed a lot of special attributes from the girls.”
Clovis is the defending Central Section Division I champ.
A key moment in the game occurred in between the fourth inning when Noel challenged Puente to hold Buchanan scoreless the rest of the game.
“From that point on she became a different pitcher,” Noel said. “Something clicked and she was going to go after it. This was a really good experience for her.”
A good experience to be sure, but not an easy one.
“It’s stressful but it’s not a give-up situation,” Puente said. “No matter what the score is, every pitch is a dogfight.”
Clovis’ incredible rally began seemingly harmless enough after freshman Maddy Arnold singled home a run in fourth inning to make the score 5-1 with two outs. After adding three runs on three consecutive Buchanan errors, Clovis tied the game on an RBI single from senior Ashley Kincaid.
That set up Young’s clutch two-out single to center, just in front of the outstretched glove of Emily Cazares.
Young was thrust into the starting lineup after power hitting first baseman Emily Puente sat out due to an injury.
“That is something special for a coach that you’ll remember for a long time,” Noel said of Young’s at bat. “When kids get a chance and come through, that’s not an easy thing for them.”
Young was happy to be given the opportunity to contribute.
“First of all my team is No. 1, I love my team,” said Young, a junior. “I’m very proud he [Coach Noel] has faith in me to be able to do that.”
Potentially the game would feature two of the top pitchers in the state in Buchanan’s Stanford-bound Molly Millar and Clovis’ Danielle Lung, a Fresno State signee.
However, Buchanan junior pitcher Michelle Kruell filled in for Millar who pitched a complete game in a 5-1 win over Central in the semi-final that day and Puente stepped up for Lung, who pitched a complete game in a 3-2 win over Bullard in a game that finished an hour before the championship game.
Buchanan scored a run in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-6 when Rachel Kessler tripled and scored on a wild pitch.
Lung would then relieve Puente and record the final four outs, the tournament clincher on a strikeout.
Final of the Easter Softball Classic Clovis beats Buchanan 8-6. Danielle Lung pitches final 1 1/3 for the save, Allie Puente with the win. Cougars now 15-0 on season. @CalHiSports @Clovissoftball @DanielleLung pic.twitter.com/tNR97xOxL0
— Paul Meadors (@paulmeadors) March 28, 2018
Clovis catcher Jordyn Martinez went 3-3 with two doubles and Buchanan’s Cazares went 2-3 with two runs scored and a double and triple. Avery Lawley went 2-4 with three RBIs for the Bears.
Buchanan (10-2) and Clovis will meet on April 10 and 27 during league play.