STOCKTON — Pudi Garcia Hernandez of Weston Ranch, East Union’s Alejandra Rascon and Ripon’s Taylor Jaquez came into Friday’s High School All-Star Softball Classic with a combined batting average of .400. The trio teamed up to go 9 for 11with seven runs and a double but it was not enough as their South team lost 17-16 to the North at Delta College’s Bucky Layland Softball Complex.
In the first inning, Garcia Hernandez (3 for 4, double, five runs) doubled with singles by Rascon (3 for 4, two runs) and Jaquez (3 for 3) to help the South out to a 4-0 lead. Garcia Hernandez scored after two of her at-bats and three times running for teammates.
“I came up to bat looking for my pitch to hit and when I saw the one I liked I gave it a ride,” Garcia Hernandez said. “I was glad that my teammates were able to get on so I could run for them. I wanted to be aggressive and make sure I made it home.”
Garcia Hernandez and Rascon will be playing softball next year for Cal State Northridge.
“I am excited to go to Northridge with Alejandra (Rascon),” Garcia Hernandez said. “It’s going to be a crazy ride, but I am ready for it. It is cool to be on her team now after playing against her for four years, so I am excited.
A catcher by trade, Rascon split her duties Friday between catcher and third base.
“This was different than playing with East Union,” Rascon said. “You have to adjust to the new players. It was fun, but not the same.
“This was a little sneak peak to see what things are going to be like (with Garcia Hernandez). I know I have her back and she has mine. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen.”
With her last at-bat before Friday being the game-winning hit for the Indians in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championship game, Jaquez kept the hits coming in her perfect outing with three hits in three trips.
“It was awesome being with a new group of girls and meeting new people and playing against some schools I was not familiar with,” Jaquez said. “It was a good experience.
“I just came out here and wanted to have fun.”
The South built up a 13-2 lead going into the bottom of the fourth when the North put up eight runs to come within 13-10. After two scoreless innings the South put up three more in the top of the seventh only for the North to battle back in the bottom of the frame to knot the score at 16.
The North added one more in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off win.