SOFTBALL: GECKOS STUN ISLANDERS

By Robert Balajadia

The GW Geckos girls softball team could’ve easily handed the game over to the top seeded JFK Islanders, especially down 5-1 in the bottom of the 7th inning, at the Geckos home-field Wednesday evening. Instead, the Geckos rose to the occasion, scoring the final five runs to stun the Islanders 6-5, giving JFK just their second loss all season.

Geckos Sia Duenas was at bat with the bases loaded with the winning run on second.

“On a scale from 1-to-10, that was definitely a 10, but in being a team captain I knew that I had to have faith so I just believed in everything I could do,” said Duenas on the final play of the game.

Duenas, with her dad cheering her on to swing, let loose an infield grounder that rolled all the way to third base. The throw to first was well off which allowed the tying run in Marika Miyasaki and the winning run in Samantha Quinata to safely make it home for the win.

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Geckos Sia Duenas collects the out at 1st. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

The game was won with Duenas’ at bat, but the run started after Islanders starting pitcher Pillar George had walked Geckos Jackie Toves in the beginning of the 7th. Teammate Amanda Castro got a clean shot deep left field when Geckos coach Alex Gumataotao was signalling Toves to go home and Castro to hold up at 2nd base.

Toves intercepted the call for Castro and stopped at 3rd, missing her opportunity to score. The mishap didn’t hurt their chances as Colleen Quinata smashed a ball through center field for an RBI single to get within 5-2. Quinata advanced to 2nd base after the outfield tried to catch Toves at home.

Then came Miyasaki’s big at-bat which completely shifted the games momentum. Miyasaki got a big hit deep to right field which was close to a foul ball, but the ball dropped inside the line and rolled which allowed Toves and Co Quinata to get the score within one run, 5-4.

“Coach had been telling us to finish strong, but what really helped us push was having confidence in ourselves and we just kept making a lot of noise and that’s what helped us finish this,” said Miyasaki on finding the drive to finish the game.

Islanders Pillar George fires a pitch in the first inning. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Sam Quinata was next at bat and she got a base hit, setting up teammate Thea Sablan’s at bat. Sablan hit a grounder to 3rd where the Islanders could have ended the game as Miyasaki barely beat the throw, but Islanders 3rd baseman never touched the bag which allowed Miyasaki to remain safe on the play.

With the bases loaded, Duenas came and delivered despite struggling at-bat for the majority of the game.

The Islanders took a 4-0 lead in the 3rd inning and tacked on another run in the 6th which appeared to give them enough of a gap to win the game.

The girls softball season is nearing its end and the GW Geckos have notched a couple of impressive wins towards the end of the season, most recently beating the Academy Cougars and nearly coming away with a win against the five-time defending champion Southern Dolphins.

Beating the Islanders has given the Geckos a lot more confidence as the season winds down. The Geckos improve to 4-5 and the Islanders fall to 7-2.

“We work well as a team and we really support each other and we have a lot of energy running through us that helps us finish games. Before the game [against JFK], we didn’t have too much confidence, but we proved that if we worked together we could do a good job,” said Miyasaki.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

The Islanders take a timeout to settle down pitcher Pillar George. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Geckos Samantha Quinata tags the Islanders runner who tried turned around mid-run. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Islanders Leon Guerrero secures the catch before Geckos Jackie Toves can make it back to the bag. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Islanders outfielder makes the leaping grab for the out. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Geckos Sam Quinata tries to beat the runner to 1st base. (photo by Robert Balajadia)