Big Hit Speaks Louder Than Words for Buena : Softball: After consoling teammate, Reida’s single helps Bulldogs to 3-2 victory.

Buena High’s Robyn Peet made a seventh-inning error that looked like it might cost her team a Channel League softball game, and Bulldog Coach Sharon Coggins thought for a moment about consoling her center fielder.

But she didn’t have to.

“I was going to say something,” Coggins said, “but (junior shortstop) Robyn Reida was the first one to her, saying ‘Forget about it. We all make mistakes.’ ”

Reida helped everyone forget Peet’s mistake by driving a two-out single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh. The hit drove in the tying run, and San Marcos center fielder Korilyn McRae let the ball go through her legs, allowing the winning run to score in the Bulldogs’ 3-2 victory Friday at Buena.

“It’s every hitter’s dream, to be up there at that time and be the one to win it,” Reida said.

Reida’s hit, her second of the game, and the ensuing error capped a seventh inning that had enough ups and downs to make you seasick just watching.

Buena (10-2, 7-0) left runners on base without scoring in the first five innings before finally giving pitcher Nicole Greathouse a run in the bottom of the sixth.

But Greathouse (5-1), who had struck out 10 and allowed only two baserunners through six innings, gave up an infield single to San Marcos’ Stacy Holmes leading off the seventh. Cleanup hitter Stephanie Christofferson then ripped a double to left-center field.

“It was a curveball, but it didn’t curve,” Greathouse said.

Not until it was in the outfield, anyway.

Peet chased down the ball, but it took a bad hop and shot past her glove. As the ball rolled, both runners scored.

“Our hearts just sank in our stomachs,” Reida said. “But our team is strong and we knew we could come back.”

Buena, which had the top of the order due up, managed to get Kim Herman to second and Bevan Trueblood to first with two out.

Reida hit the ball through the middle and McRae, seemingly trying to rush to pick it up and make a throw, let it go under her glove and toward the fence. Herman and Trueblood scored easily.

Although the grass in center field appeared bumpy, Coggins said that wasn’t the reason both center fielders had trouble with the game on the line.

“I think it’s called nerves,” she said. “Everyone knows this is for first place. We don’t have too many games in league that are this tough.”

San Marcos (10-3, 5-1) fell 1 1/2 games behind Buena in the Channel League standings.

“It kind of puts us in the driver’s seat,” said Greathouse, who gave up three hits and struck out 11. “Now they are chasing us. They are shooting to get us the next time.”

Michelle Cordes, Renae Hoffman and Trueblood each had two of the Bulldogs’ 11 hits against Jenny Hehnke (10-3).

Hoffman beat out a grounder to first base, driving home Buena’s first run with two out in the sixth.