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Westview pitcher Braetana Roy dives around Cibola runner Ariel Olea to make a catch in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday in Yuma.
PHOTO BY BENJAMIN HAGER, THE SUN
Olea one-hits Westview
For the second consecutive day the Cibola softball team was involved in a one-hit shutout.
This time, the Raiders were on the good end of it.
Ariel Olea struck out eight and only allowed three baserunners the entire game -- the lone hit coming in the second inning -- to lead Cibola to a 4-0 victory over Avondale-Westview on Wednesday.
"Ariel's been pitching great this year, better than I've ever seen her," Cibola coach Shelly Baumann said. "That's what kept us in the game, because we did not play well today, but we played well enough to make it through."
Olea and Westview pitcher Braetana Roy were engaged in a pitcher's duel throughout. The Raiders scored all four of their runs with two outs.
Cibola (9-4) shortstop Myliah Ramirez led off the bottom of the second with a triple to right. After two unsuccessful attempts to drive her in, Olea lifted a short pop up that drifted away from Westview shortstop Erica Gonzalez to bring in what would prove to be the winning run.
The Raiders' offense came alive in the sixth and tacked on three insurance runs with two outs. Catcher Alyssa Olea hit a two-run double, plating Norma Tapia and Ariel Olea. Kacy Boyd followed with an RBI single.
"We have to give (Westview's) pitcher credit too. She kept us off balance," Baumann said. "I've been telling the girls that we just have to hit that first strike. If we're a little more aggressive, hopefully, we can get some things done."
Westview's best scoring opportunities came in the second and fifth innings of what was then a 1-0 game.
The Knights had a runner on third with one out, but Ariel Olea struck out the next batter and then induced a comebacker to end the threat.
Westview had two and one out in the fifth, but Olea fanned the next two batters looking.
"My outside corner and my change up were pretty much my bread and butter," Olea said.
"I feel I've gotten stronger this year," she added. "I've been able to go a little longer and my spin has been getting better. I've been trying to snap, so that's been keeping me in games longer."
The Raiders continue a stretch of games against top-notch opponents. Cibola plays last year's 5A Division I state semifinalist Mesa-Red Mountain on Friday and defending state champion Phoenix-St. Mary's on Tuesday.
"Those are two real good teams and that's what we need right now," Baumann said. "We want to put the girls in pressure situations and then act out of that."
