Eldorado wins pitching duel with Las Vegas, closes in on league title
Eldorado’s softball team has power in its lineup.
On Tuesday, though, the Sundevils little-balled their way to the doorstep of a Northeast League title.
Eldorado ran the bases smartly, used a squeeze bunt by No. 3 hitter Ashley Jarzombek to take the lead in the first and let its defense take care of the rest.
The result was a 2-0 win over visiting Las Vegas and a two-game lead in the Northeast with three games left.
“That was the game plan,” said Eldorado coach Melissa Ortiz, whose team beat Las Vegas 3-0 in the first meeting. “I knew I could trust my runners to do the right thing. The whole game plan was to move the girls 60 feet at a time.”
Cheyanne Schindler beat out a single to shortstop to start the bottom of the first inning and stole second on the next pitch.
Schindler moved to third when a third strike to Brook Ortiz was dropped and the out was recorded at first.
Jarzombek popped up a bunt on an 0-and-1 pitch, but it fell in for a hit near the first-base line, allowing Schindler to score.
The Sundevils (20-4, 11-0) added a run in the second when Theresa Cianflocco singled to right, moved to second when Sabrina Summers’ bunt was misplayed and scored on a bloop double to left by Schindler.
That was more than enough for Jarzomek and the Eldorado defense. The senior pitcher tossed a four-hitter, walking two and striking out nine.
The Wildcats (16-11, 9-2) had at least one runner on base in every inning except the seventh but were their own worst enemy on the basepaths. Las Vegas had two runners doubled off on infield pop-ups and had a runner thrown out trying to steal second.
“I’ve got somebody new at shortstop and somebody new at third, but they did well,” Melissa Ortiz said. “Everybody has adjusted to their position.”
Jarzombek didn’t allow a Las Vegas runner to reach third base. She threw 71 of 104 pitches for strikes.
Schindler and Jarzombek each went 2-for-3 for Eldorado, which needs a win in any of its three remaining league games to wrap up its first Northeast League crown since 2002.
“It feels really good,” Melissa Ortiz said. “We’ve been working hard with these seniors for four years.”
Kristina Nelson fired a five-hitter and allowed only one earned run for the Wildcats. She struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.
