BEGINNING: Softball begins a promising season by placing well in the Jurupa Valley Tournament.
By Abigail Burke, Staff Writer
The Poly varsity girls’ softball team began its season finishing fifth in the Jurupa Valley Tournament from March 16-21. This was the team’s first year playing in the tournament. Finishing with four wins and one loss, the team was one win away from making it to the championship game. Even though they did not take home first or second place, the girls were still happy with their performance. “I was pleased with our placement in the tournament. We have come a long way from the beginning of the year and truly battled in every game,” Haley Finn (11) commented.
The team kicked off the tournament by winning their first game 19-6 on Monday, March 16. Later that day, the girls battled Don Lugo High School in a very competitive game that ended in 2-1 Poly victory. “Our second game on Monday was very close. We got a great pitching performance from Paige Peterson, and Haley Finn came through with a seventh inning walk-off home run to win it,” Coach Robert Sakaguichi said. In the second inning of the game, Jackie Loya scored the first run, putting Poly in the lead. However, later that inning, a Don Lugo player made a run to tie the game at 1-1. The teams were tied until Finn secured the win in the seventh inning.
Poly lost its next game of the tournament 12-10 against Etiwanda High School. Although the girls did not qualify for the finals, they still finished the tournament with impressive wins on Thursday, March 19 and Saturday, March 21.
With the tournament’s completion the team will be preparing for their upcoming league games. “We are very happy with how we did in the tournament. Players stepped up in every part of the games when needed. I think we will compete very well in league, and I think we can win our third straight league title this year,” Sakaguichi said.