(Leo Palace Park)- The playoffs is when you raise your game and #1 Are You Game (7-0) and #5 Talofofo Lady Rangers (3-5) were at playoff intensity in a Bud Light Queen of the Diamond thriller. Are You Game’s starter Megan Maratita would go the distance holding off a 7th inning rally by the resurgent Lady Rangers and drive in the go ahead run in the top of the 6th inning to lead AYG to a 7-6 win.
Lady Rangers would take the early 2-0 lead scoring a run in the 1st and 2nd innings. Paullete Nededog drove in Latoya Mojica in the top of the 1st and Leilani Quitugua would single, steal a base and come in to score on a wild pitch to spark the Lady Rangers offense.
Are You Game would answer in the bottom of the 2nd with Kiana Rivera reaching on error and also coming in to score on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning AYG would take a one run lead with Sirena Cepeda delivering a rbi single to cap a two run rally as AYG went up 3-2 through three innings.
Lady Rangers would take back the lead in the 4th inning with Tiana Chaco driving in Tomisha Roberto with a rbi fielder’s choice and Khea Flores rbi sac fly scoring Veronica Igancio as the Lady Rangers went back on top 4-3.
With playoff intensity rising Are You Game would answer again in the bottom of the 5th inning with Cepeda again singling to start the rally and Rivera walking to set the table. Audry George would deliver a two out two rbi double to give AYG back the lead 5-4. Lady Ranger’s catcher Tiana Chaco would end the rally with a great block of homeplate for the third out.
But this game was far from over. The Lady Ranger’s Nededog would get the crowd roaring leading off the 6th inning with a long bomb to centerfield for an inside the park homerun to tie up the game.
Are You Game would take the lead in the bottom of the 6th for the 5th lead change of the game. Blau would start things off with a walk and Maratita would drive her in with a single for the go ahead run. AYG would tack on an insurance run to take a 7-5 lead going into the last inning.
In the 7th inning the Lady Rangers would make it interesting with Larissa Dirige walking with two out and Mojica driving her in with a rbi single. The Lady Rangers had two runners on trailing by one run with two out. Maratita would end a great game getting the final out on a fly to right field to secure the win for Are You Game and advance them on to the Queen of the Diamond Championship semifinals.
Maratita and Cepeda share Strike Zone Player of the Game for AYG. Maratita allowed four earned runs over seven inning and was 1 for 3 with a run and rbi and Cepeda was 3 for 4 with two runs and an rbi.
Lady Ranger’s starter Khea Flores picked up the loss despite a great game allowing only eight hits and five earned runs over six innings to the #1 seed AYG. Roberto chipped in two hits for the Lady Rangers offense.
AYG stays unbeaten on the season at 7-0 and advance to the semifinal where they take on the winner of #2 Juice and #3 Lady Adahi. Lady Rangers drop to the loser’s bracket and are still alive in the double elimination format.
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(AP/Carlos Osorio)
