The work of San Xavier relief pitcher Miah Bracamonte and clutch hitting of Daynika Oliva propelled San Xavier to the District 12 Juniors softball championship over Sunnyside.
San Xavier defeated Sunnyside 12-10 behind Oliva’s go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning on Tuesday night at Manzanita Park.
San Xavier advances to the state tournament that begins July 5 at Arthur Pack.
In the best-of-three series with Sunnyside, San Xavier won both games, 17-4 on Monday night and then Tuesday night’s thrilling victory.
The game was a scorefest early with both teams taking advantages of walks, hit-by-pitches, errors and wild pitches.
It was tied at nine with two outs in the third inning when Bracamonte entered the circle,
Bracamonte walked the first batter she faced to load the bases but then she struck out the next batter to end the threat for Sunnyside, which scored five runs in the inning highlighted by a two-run triple by Eliana Ramirez.
Hector Urrea was the acting manager for San Xavier filling in and his team
persevered to beat Sunnyside 12-10 to claim the District 12 championship. San Xavier swept the two games in the best-of-three series and now heads to the state tournament at Arthur Pack starting July 5. pic.twitter.com/qVc8z2jVjE— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 26, 2024
The game developed into a pitcher’s duel between Bracamonte and Sunnyside’s Amaya Godoy afterward.
Each team scored in the fourth.
Sunnyside’s run was unearned against Bracamonte because a fielding error happened on a play that could have ended the inning but a run scored on the play.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning and a runner on third base, Amariz Acevedo hit an RBI single to tie the game at 10.
From that time, in the last three innings, Bracamonte did not allow a Sunnyside baserunner to advance past second base.
In each inning, Sunnyside had a runner at second base but that player was the last out each time.
In the fifth inning, Oliva, the catcher threw out the runner trying to steal third base. In the sixth, the runner on second base was ruled out because she left early before Bracamonte pitched the ball. And in the seventh, the last out of the game occurred when Sunnyside’s runner on second was caught in a pickle between second and third and was thrown out trying to dive back to second base.
San Xavier relief pitcher Miah Bracamonte entered with the game tied at 9 with Sunnyside in the third inning. She allowed one unearned run and one hit in the last 3 1/3 innings to get the win. San Xavier won 12-10 to claim the District 12 Juniors title. It advances to the state… pic.twitter.com/of3cSdRalO
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 26, 2024
Oliva’s clutch single to right field occurred with two outs in the bottom of the sixth with Alicia Navarro on second base after Navarro reached on an error and stole second. Navarro scored on the hit by Oliva, who came all the way home after two throwing errors to put San Xavier ahead 12-10.
Oliva went 2 for 3 with three runs and two RBIs. Delilah Wilson went 1 for 2 and scored three runs.
Daynika Oliva’s RBI single in the bottom of the sixth put San Xavier ahead 11-10 and she also headed home on two throwing errors follow the hit for the final run in San Xavier’s 12-10 win over Sunnyside in the District 12 Juniors championship. pic.twitter.com/v1NxiG5zzj
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 26, 2024
Bracamonte pitched the last 3 1/3 innings and allowed one hit and the unearned run. She struck out three and walked three.
Godoy pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed four hits and three runs (one earned) with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Ramirez went 2-for-3 with two runs, a triple and two RBIs.
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