Aquinas’ Amani McField, left, celebrates with teammates as she approaches home plate after hitting a 2-run home run in the fourth inning against visiting Linfield Christian in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
SAN BERNARDINO — The Aquinas softball team produced an unbeatable hand in Monday’s Ambassador League showdown against Linfield Christian.
The Falcons used a four-of-a-kind offense to take control of the game and also had an ace who made sure the lead did not slip away a second time.
Aquinas starting pitcher Mya Coleman brings a pitch to the plate during the first inning against visiting Linfield Christian in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas’ Abrielle Merlos (2) is congratulated after scoring against visiting Linfield Christian in the second inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas second baseman Leilani Bustamante tags out Linfield Christian’s Maisy Randolph during the third inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas’ Savana Estrada slides safely into to score as Linfield Christina catcher Caden Johnson puts down the late tag during the sixth inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas shortstop Amani McField throws out a Linfield Christian batter in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Linfield Christian shortstop Danica Perez catches a pop fly against Aquinas in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas starting pitcher Mya Coleman brings a pitch to the plate during the first inning against visiting Linfield Christian in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas second baseman Leilani Bustamante tags out Linfield Christian’s Maisy Randolph during the third inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas second baseman Leilani Bustamante tags out Linfield Christian’s Reagan Woods to get the front end of a double play to end the top half of the fourth inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Linfield Christian shortstop Danica Perez can not handle the throw as Aquinas’ Kat Garcia steals second base during the fifth inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas’ Abrielle Merlos (2) is congratulated after scoring against visiting Linfield Christian in the second inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas’ Mia De La Fuente celebrates following a base hit against visiting Linfield Christian in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas’ Amani McField, left, celebrates with teammates as she approaches home plate after hitting a 2-run home run in the fourth inning against visiting Linfield Christian in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Linfield Christian center fielder Sophia Rezkalah can not come up with the catch during their prep softball game against Aquinas in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Linfield Christian shortstop Danica Perez can not handle the throw as Aquinas’ Kat Garcia steals second base during the fifth inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas’ Amani McField, right, celebrates with teammates as she approaches home plate after hitting a 2-run home run in the fourth inning against visiting Linfield Christian in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas’ Savana Estrada slides safely into to score as Linfield Christina catcher Caden Johnson puts down the late tag during the sixth inning in San Bernardino on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Aquinas defeated 9-2 Linfield Christian in an Ambassador League prep softball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Aquinas scored two runs during the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, while Mya Coleman closed her afternoon in the circle with four scoreless frames as the Falcons pulled away for a 9-2 victory to take sole possession of first place in the league standings.
Karyme Amaya and Mia De La Fuente had three hits apiece to spearhead a 15-hit barrage by the Falcons (20-0 overall, 5-0 in league).
Aquinas was aggressive at the plate, as its batters saw an average of only 2.7 pitches per plate appearance during Monday’s contest. The Falcons put the ball in play on the first or second pitch 17 times during the game, with seven of those resulting in base hits.
“I believe the best pitches you are going to see are early in an at-bat,” Aquinas coach Lenny Duran said. “We want to get ahead (in the count) but also be aggressive whenever there is a good pitch to hit. I want them to swing and take their hacks. That’s what we do here.”
Amaya registered the first hit of the day for Aquinas when she led off the bottom of the second inning with a triple into the gap in right-center field. Courtesy runner Abrielle Merlos scored the game’s first run later in that inning on a squeeze bunt by Kat Garcia.
Linfield Christian (12-2, 5-1) answered with a two-out rally in the third. Sophia Rezkalah singled, and Danica Perez then reached on an error. The Lions took the lead when Chloe Hill lined a double to the gap in left-center to bring home Rezkalah and Perez.
That lead was short-lived however. Savana Estrada and Leilani Bustamante delivered back-to-back, run-scoring doubles to help Aquinas surge back in front in the bottom half of the third. The Falcons had the bases loaded later in that inning, but a line drive resulted in a double play.
Amani McField added to the Falcons’ lead in the top of the fourth, when she launched a two-run home run over the fence in center field.
“My first two at-bats, I had grounded out to first base, so I was looking to make adjustments,” McField said. “Going into the third at-bat, it was about being selective and seeing the ball well. I got a good pitch and got a good swing on it.”
Garcia and De La Fuente singled in runs in the fifth inning, and Amaya capped things off with a two-run single in the sixth.
McField, Ava Martinez, Estrada and Bustamante also finished with multi-hit games, as each player went 2 for 4 at the plate for the Falcons.
“It’s very hard to break into our lineup because there are so many good hitters already in there,” Duran said. “They do a good job collectively with feeding off one another’s energy. I think that’s why you often see the hits coming in bunches during a game.”
Coleman scattered seven hits during the game, but Linfield Christian did not get a runner past second after the third inning.
“And with her only being a freshman, she is just going to keep growing and getting better,” Duran said. “She was great today.”
Coleman only registered three strikeouts in the game, but the final two came during the top of the seventh inning to close out the victory.
“I think my change-up and screwball were really working today,” said Coleman, who improved her record to 7-0. “I was a little nervous out there to start, but the more runs my team scored really helped me be more comfortable.”
Rezkalah went 3 for 4 to lead Linfield Christian. Hill added a pair of hits for the Lions.
Aquinas is the Ambassador League’s defending champion, and the program has won at least a share of that league’s title 10 times over the past 12 seasons. The Falcons are looking to keep that stretch going under Duran, who took over the program after longtime coach Chris Ybarra resigned. Duran was an assistant coach for Ybarra for four seasons before taking the reins.
“Change is never an easy thing,” Duran said. “I think there were some moments of uncertainly for a while, but I believe if we stay focused on what we’ve always done here at Aquinas, things are going to turn out just fine.”
