Gutierrez Tames Mauraders, Huskies Get Big Win to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

by Cerwin D Haynes

thumbnail and photos by Rubbie Chavez aka gfxbyrubbie

Coming into today at #21 in the SoCal RPI rankings, East LA College softball saw today's opponent - the visiting Marauders of Antelope Valley College - as a huge opportunity to boost their playoff chances. AVC, ranked #17 in the State and #10 in SoCal RPI, had just wrapped up the Western State-North title yesterday, so it was fair to wonder if the Huskies could take advantage of catching the Marauders a day after their celebration. 

Facing a team who was #6 in the State in batting-average, Huskies' ace freshman P Nadine Gutierrez came up huge as ELAC (22-14, 8-11) got by AVC (28-10, 10-1) by a score of 3-1. Gutierrez, the one time San Francisco State commit, went the distance for her twentieth win on the season. She fanned nine Marauders while scattering seven hits, surrendering only one run and two walks.

The Pack did their work offensively in the third inning against AVC starter Payton Marlin. With one out, freshman LF Rayanna Quintanar lined a pitch right back to the pitcher, who turned her back in reflex. The ball bounced off her back towards the first base line, and it took her a moment to recover, allowing Quintanar the infied single. Freshman SS Emily Ramirez followed with a single to center, advancing Quintanar a base. Ava Sanchez then came up and struck out swinging, bringing freshman C Danica Henriquez up. On a 1-1 pitch, Henrquirez slapped one up the middle that just eluded AVC's second-baseman to drive in Quintanar from second, tying the game. Sophomore 3B Alexis Arguellas was next to bat and followed suit, slapping a 1-2 pitch similarly up the middle that slowly eluded the infielders... so slowly, in fact, that it allowed both Ramirez and Henriquez to score, giving ELAC the 3-1 lead.

Gutierrez made it stand up the rest of the way. She would strand multiple runners in the fourth and fifth innings, and retired six Marauders in a row between the sixth and seventh to nail down the win. 

HUSKY BITS

• With Gutierrez's 20th win today, it marks the first time since the 2014 season that ELAC Softball had a 20-game winner (Alashanee Medina went 25-9). 
• Gutierrez showed excellent command of the outside corner of the zone.

UP NEXT:

The Pack will rest over the weekend as they prepare for the final week of the regular season. They'll have another excellent opportunity to climb the RPI chart on Tuesday when they host SoCal RPI#3 (and #4 State-ranked) Cerritos College at 2pm. And then on Wednesday they'll once again take on LA Harbor College in what could be a make-or-break regular season finale.