RIVERSIDE – Corina Jaimes saw a total of 16 pitches in her first three plate appearances Wednesday afternoon.
Riverside Poly shortstop Corina Jaimes #12 celebrates her home run against Valley View in the 8th inning to win the Ivy League softball game at Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press -Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly shortstop Corina Jaimes #12 celebrates her 8th inning with a two rbi walk-off home run as Valley View catcher Skye Johnson #33 leaves the field after the Ivy League softball game at Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly outfielder Maddy Cortez #2 dives under the tag of Valley View’s Tatiana Gomez #00 at first base during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Valley View’s Alyssa Torres #8 celebrates her solo home run against Riverside Poly during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly first baseman Teagen Moreno #13 is unable to catch a Valley View foul ball during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Miranda De Nava #14 of Riverside Poly makes the diving catch of a pop-up bunt against Valley View during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
A Riverside Poly fan cheers behind home plate against Valley View during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Miranda De Nava #14 of Riverside Poly pitches against Valley View during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Valley View pitcher Bella Hernandez #22 throws against Riverside Poly during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly’s Madelyn Webb #22 celebrates her double in front of Valley View second baseman Madison Barrios #21 during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press- Enterprise/SCNG)
Madelyn Webb #22 of Riverside Poly, left high-fives pinch runner Riverside Poly catcher Brooklyn Snider #8 after a double against Valley View during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press -Business/SCNG)
Riverside Poly infielder Karly Romero #25 celebrates her base hit against Valley View during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise /SCNG)
Valley View shortstop Alyssa Torres #8 throws the ball and throws to first hitter Riverside Poly during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly first baseman Teagen Moreno #13 celebrates his arrival at first base with Riverside Poly head coach Robert Sakaguchi during a Valley View throwing error during a softball game in the Ivy League at Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press -Business/SCNG)
Miranda De Nava #14 of Riverside Poly pitches against Valley View during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Valley View head coach John Perez during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly shortstop Corina Jaimes #12 celebrates her 8th two rbi home run against Valley View to win the Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG )
Riverside Poly shortstop Corina Jaimes #12 celebrates her 8th inning two rbi walk-off home run past Valley View’s Alyssa Torres #8 to win the Ivy League softball game at Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson , La Presse-Enterprise/SCNG)
Valley View’s Alyssa Torres #8 celebrates her solo hopmejrun off Riverside Poly’s Miranda De Nava #14 during an Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press -Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly shortstop Corina Jaimes #12 celebrates her 8th inning two rbi walk-off home run off Valley View pitcher Bella Hernandez #22 to win the Ivy League softball game in Riverside on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson , The Presse-Enterprise/SCNG)
So Jaimes had a pretty good idea of where the pitches would be when she entered the batter’s box in the eighth inning.
Jaimes jumped on the first offering and went the opposite direction, lining a two-run shot over the wall in left field to give the Riverside Poly softball team a thrilling 3-1 victory over Valley View in an Ivy League title showdown. suitors.
“I just changed my approach for that last at-bat,” said Jaimes, the senior shortstop who is headed to Central Florida. “The first time I was a little nervous and I was trying to do too much and I pulled out. On the last pitch, it was more about thinking about what would happen… They had thrown me out, so I was looking for that first pitch.
Cal-bound pitcher Miranda De Nava picked up the win in the circle, throwing four batters while tying her season high with 16 strikeouts. De Nava beat Valley View freshman Bella Hernandez, who allowed five hits in her seven innings of work.
Valley View (11-1-1 overall, 2-1 league) took the lead in the top of the third inning when Alyssa Torres lit a screwball and launched a towering homer over the scoreboard in left field and in college baseball. the field’s bullpen.
Riverside Poly (21-1-1, 4-0) responded in the bottom half of the third inning, taking advantage of an error by Valley View’s defense to tie the scores. Jaimes also homered in the Bears’ first run, with a sacrifice fly in that inning.
Valley View got the leadoff batter in the fifth and sixth innings, but couldn’t get past the go-ahead, De Nava relied on the movement of her rising ball to escape those blocks, recording strikeouts for complete both rounds.
Torres was the only Valley View hitter not to strike out through the first seven innings. When Torres came to the plate with one out in the eighth inning, Poly manager Robert Sakaguchi went to the pitcher’s circle.
“He asked me if I wanted to fight him and I said yes,” said De Nava, who improved to 17-1 this season. “I was a little nervous, knowing what she’s capable of doing if I make another mistake… But I wasn’t going to let that control me.”
De Nava threw three straight rising balls to the outside half of the plate, and Torres swung through each one.
“It’s great to hear your pitcher say he wants to go after the other team’s best hitter in a situation like that,” Sakaguchi said. “We just talked about where we wanted to throw her… We didn’t want to give her a shot to hit and just hoped she would follow through.”
Karly Romero drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth inning, and Jaimes followed with his sixth homer of the season.
“I didn’t know it was going to come out, but I thought it would be enough to score the point,” Jaimes said. “I told (De Nava), ‘Keep giving your heart and we’ll run this race for you.’
“It’s a feeling of pure joy when you experience this moment like this with your teammates. I prayed before this at-bat and God gave me the chance to stand out for my team. All glory to Him.
Valley View coach John Perez was proud of his team’s effort Wednesday, especially the performance of his young pitcher.
“She’s barely 14 years old. I hid her a bit, so no one really knew her. That’s going to change,” Perez said of Hernandez. “Even on that last pitch, she hit the run right off the plate. It was just a great shot.
Poly has a 1 1/2 game lead over Valley View and Temescal Canyon in the league standings. Valley View travels to Temescal Canyon for another big showdown Friday afternoon. Valley View will host the second game against Poly on Friday, April 19.
