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Kaiser slams Patriot, remains in tie for first place
By BOB OTTO
Vanessa Lenart blasted a grand-slam home run in a seven-run second inning that broke open a close game in the Kaiser Cats' 13-2 victory over the visiting Patriot Warriors of Riverside in Sunkist League softball action last week.
The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the first-place Cats came back with a single run in their half of the inning and then put the game away in the next stanza.
Kaiser shortened the game under the mercy rule by scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth to end the game early.
Alyssia Palomino picked up the win, allowing but four hits and striking out five as the Cats improved their Sunkist League record to 11-3, 16-8 overall.
Kaiser and Bloomington both have 11-2 league records, but Kaiser currently claims first place by virtue of defeating Bloomington two of the three times they have met. The Summit SkyHawks reside in third place with a 7-6 record. The three teams all had two games remaining in league play this week.
In its win over Patriot, Kaiser sent 11 batters to the plate in the second inning, pounding out six hits. Lenart, who will be attending Wagner College in New York City on an athletic scholarship, provided the most dramatic hit by blasting her home run deep over the left field fence.
To set up Lenart's grand slam, Lourdes Medina doubled, Marquis Lozoya singled, and Palomino walked. Lenart then crushed a letter-high rise ball off Patriot pitcher Courtney Delano to give the Cats a commanding 8-2 lead.
Medina's double also drove in two runs, and Loyoza's hit plated a run.
Kaiser added two more runs in the third on Alyssa Ramos-Flores single, and she struck again in the fifth with a double to drive in her third run of the game to give the Cats an 11-2 margin.
In the sixth, Renaye Gamson walked with one out, and Medina followed with a single to right field. But the ball bounced by the outfielder and rolled all the way to the fence, allowing both runners to score.
The Cats pounded out 15 hits, led by Ramos-Flores (3-for-4), Lenart (3-for-4), Lozoya (2-for-4), Priscilla Martinez (2-for-4), and Medina (2-for-4).
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