Fa'aita's home run gives San Mateo a thrilling 11-10 win

BAKERSFIELD - Bubbah Fa'aita played the hero in game two of the 2022 CCCAA Softball Tournament. With the game tied 10-10 in the bottom of the sixth inning, she stepped up to the plate and hammered a solo shot over the right-field fence to put the College of San Mateo ahead for good in a 11-10 win over Santiago Canyon.

It was an offensive slugfest as both squads finished with double-digit hits. The Northern California #1 seed San Mateo Bulldogs finished with 14 hits and Southern California's #4 seed Santiago Canyon Hawks totaled 15 hits.

Fa'atia put together an outstanding effort in her squad's opening game finishing with four RBIs off three hits including two doubles with a pair of runs scored. Teammate Lafu Malepeai put on an equally impressive performance as she flirted with hitting the cycle. The left fielder finished a perfect 4-4 at the plate with a triple and double and added a pair of RBIs and runs.

The squads got the scoring started early and went blow-for-blow for much of the game. The Hawks jumped on the board in the top of first inning scoring three runs off RBI doubles by Samantha Villanueva and Jazmyn Moetului followed by an RBI single from Alexandra Molina. 

But the momentum was short-lived as the Fa'aita and the Bulldogs responded in the bottom half of the inning scoring four runs of their own off four hits and a Santiago Canyon error. Fa'aita got her squad going early, tying the game when she hit a shot to right-center that scored Sarah Giles, Logan Bonetti, and Malepeai. A few batters later Gabi Perez gave San Mateo its first lead of the game when she drove in Fa'aita.

The Bulldogs led 10-5 heading into the sixth inning and looked like they would cruise to a victory but the Hawks had other ideas. Liliana Navarro ignited a spark for her team when she blasted a home run over the right-field fence to cut the deficit to 10-7. Molina and Lindsey Marschall hit back-to-back RBI singles to close the gap to just one run. Adriana Martinez stepped up next and tied the game with a single through the left side to bring in Jade Costa.

Kealani Cardona picked up her 20th win of the season in her relief effort for the Bulldogs. Perez finished with two hits and two RBIs, and Celeste Casillas added two hits with one RBI. 

Villanueva led Santiago Canyon with three RBIs, three hits, and two runs. Moetului added three hits of her own with an RBI and a run.

San Mateo advances to face the Southern California #2 seed Cypress College tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Bakersfield College. Cypress defeated the Northern California #3 seed Sierra College 8-5 in its first-round game. Santiago Canyon will take Sierra at 11 a.m. tomorrow at North High School.

(Anthony Avila, CCCAA)