Mission Prep softball advances to CIF title game with another 10-inning upset
Mission Prep’s softball team keeps on finding a way to upset favored teams in extra innings.
The Royals (12-14-1), the No. 7 seed in the CIF-Central Section Division 4 bracket, won 6-4 on Tuesday to upset No. 3 McLane in Fresno to advance to the title game on Friday.
And for the second straight game, Mission Prep won in 10 innings — this time on a two-run, go-ahead double from junior Rylinn MacDonald.
On May 18, the Royals beat No. 2-seed Immanuel of Reedley in 10 innings, after erupting for five runs in the final frame to win 6-1. Royals pitcher Roxanne Guerra went the distance, striking out 22 in that contest.
On Thursday, Mission Prep Coach Johnnie Martinez said that Guerra wasn’t at her best Tuesday on the mound, but the team rallied around her.
“Roxanne didn’t have her best stuff but we played solid defense behind her and had timely hits to tie and go ahead,” Martinez said.
With the Royals down by one run in the seventh, the last inning of regulation, sophomore Mikaylee Gordon led off with a single up the middle and then stole second.
On a bunt to advance Gordon to third, McLane committed an error on the throw that allowed Gordon to score and tie up the game 4-4, setting up the game-winning RBIs for MacDonald three innings later. MacDonald hit her double to right center, Martinez said.
Mission Prep moves on to the championship game against No. 1-seed Orange Cove (21-7-1), located southeast of Fresno, at 5:15 p.m. Friday at Fresno State University.
“We’ve had a combination of grit and a tough preseason schedule to prepare us for these games,” Martinez said. “We said our congrats and kudos after the game and we’ll be back at it working this week to get ready for Saturday.”
This story was originally published May 24, 2023 at 12:50 AM.
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