Local 9-10 softballs stars stymied by Quartz Hill
TUJUNGA — A brutal first inning was too much to overcome for the Jewel City/Burbank/Foothill District 16 9-10 All Stars in a season-ending loss to banner-raising Quartz Hill on Tuesday afternoon at Tujunga Little League Fields.
District 16’s Burbank squad, which combined local teams Arnold’s Angels and Black Widow due to low overall numbers, entered the Section 2 Tournament to play the likes of Quartz Hill, despite just coming together in mid-May, according to coach Dave Minkler.
While lack of depth, especially in the pitching department, contributed to the 18-4 defeat on Tuesday, lack of experience and chemistry also showed as Burbank struggled with the fundamentals of the game against the formidable opponent from District 51.
“Tough loss,” Minkler said. “We could have come back if we had a different mindset, but it’s something that we can work on for the future.”
Burbank had an eight-run deficit after the first inning. Quartz Hill scored seven of the eight runs with two outs, while Burbank’s defense committed costly errors to allow the inning to extend until 12 batters stepped to the plate and scored the eight runs on six hits — five of them singles.
Mia Romero led off the inning with a single off Burbank’s Natalie Minkler and was soon picked up on consecutive singles from Kaitlin Hong and Chanelle Waters, who scored Romero for the game’s first run. Later in the inning, Hong capitalized on lackadaisical play by Burbank and stole home. Waters also scored on the play, showing aggression on the basepaths on a throwing error.
Aleena Galvan, Jamie Sencion, and Phoenix Pair also got in the action during the inning, knocking in runs with respective hits, with Sencion recording a triple on a fly ball to right field.
Unfortunately for Burbank, Natalie Minkler was the only pitcher available, according to Dave Minkler, and had pitched six innings in Monday’s 11-7 victory over San Marino. The fatigue, coupled with a shaky defense, clearly did not bode well for Burbank.
“She’s the only pitcher we had,” Dave Minkler said. “She pitched a complete six innings yesterday, which was the first time she had done so. She came back and tried to do it again, but it was tough.”
Burbank looked to string together a big first inning of its own in the top half, as Heaven Marquez, Jazmin Combs, and Tatiyana Valenzuela loaded the bases with two outs. Marquez and Combs reached on errors before Valenzuela drew a walk. However, a base running mistake ended the threat and the inning, letting Quartz Hill and its starting pitcher Sydney Scripter off the hook and unscathed.
Quartz Hill added four runs in the second and six in the third. In between, Burbank picked up its first run on Combs’ hard-hit ball to short, which was misplayed by the fielder to allow Natalie Minkler to score. The No. 9 batter was hit by a pitch to start the inning, advanced to second on Marquez’ grounder and then to third on a passed ball. Combs tried to leg out the infield hit to second on the throw home but was tagged out.
Burbank’s biggest offensive inning came in the top of the fourth. Valenzuela led off with a double before solid base running got her to third on a passed ball and then home on a heads-up play, barely beating the tag. Chloe Chan later singled, followed by an infield single by speedster Mackenzie Meisenbach. Harper scored on a throwing error on the play, with Meisenbach advancing to second. With Natalie Minkler at bat, Chan scored on a passed ball. Meisenbach also attempted to score but was tagged out to end the game on the mercy rule.
“We had different base coaches so maybe they had a different mindset,” said Dave Minkler when asked what he attributed the more potent offense late in the game.
“We weren’t in it. Yesterday we were, but today we weren’t. It’s a day-by-day thing.”
Quartz Hill had defeated Burbank, 5-4, in a closer game on Sunday. When asked what the difference was between the two games, Dave Minkler said “two different pitchers and one different catcher” as one of the biggest factors.