Lady Matadors stave off late rally, one win away from defending Region I Title
Lady Matadors ride early 7-run surge, survive late rally to edge Central Arizona 8-7
HENDERSON, Ariz. - The Arizona Western Softball team captured a dramatic 8-7 win over Central Arizona College on Thursday afternoon, sparked by a seven-run first inning and clutch relief pitching in the final frame. The win for Arizona Western puts them one win away from repeating as Region I Champions.
Gabby Weisser led the way for the Matadors, drilling a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to punctuate the team's early offensive explosion, finishing with three RBI in the win.
After Central Arizona took a brief lead with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first, Arizona Western responded by sending nine batters to the plate in the bottom half. Analy Trejo singled in the tying run, Alana McDonnell brought home another with her base hit, and Alissa Piñon ripped a two-run double to make it 4-1. Weisser then blasted a three-run homer, pushing the advantage to 7-1 after just one inning.
Central Arizona refused to go away quietly, scoring twice in the third inning—including a steal of home by Kiana Garcilazo—to trim the deficit. The Matadors answered in the bottom half as Trejo delivered her second RBI single, driving in Corinna Talbot for what became the decisive eighth run. Arizona Western managed just two hits over the final four innings as Central's bullpen tightened, and the Vaqueros chipped away with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to close within a run.
Autumn Arriola earned the win with five innings of six-strikeout work before Brooklyn Cann took over in the sixth. Jessica Smith locked down her first save of the season in the seventh, striking out two batters and sealing the Matadors' narrow victory.
Myah Alexander, Talbot, Léa Fréchette, and Larissa Rueda each recorded a hit, with Alexander and McDonnell scoring crucial runs in the opening surge. Arizona Western finished with nine hits and no errors, showcasing resilience to hold off the late comeback.
UP NEXT
A spot in the NJCAA DI Softball World Series is on the line and the Lady Matadors are in the cat-bird seat. Arizona Western returns to the Region I Championship game undefeated for the second year in a row.
Arizona Western will be back on the diamond this Saturday at 1 p.m., facing the winner of Central Arizona and Eastern Arizona which is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Arizona Western is one win away from repeating as Region I Champions.
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