On the tail end of a record California heat wave, playing seven games in 10 days and the second game of a double header on March 21, you would never notice Cerritos College Falcons softball pitcher Tatyana Cortez endured through fatigue and a headache in a gritty 4 2/3 innings of relief that allowed her team to come back and walk-off against the Southwestern College Jaguars 2-1.
“At the end of the day, it’s about who’s tougher and I try to not get beat mentally when it comes to pitching. So, I feel like I’ve been doing well on that and controlling my anxiety in the circle,” Cortez said.
Cerritos head coach Kodee Murray added that Cortez is “probably one of the toughest players that’s ever played here.”
Cortez finished the game against the Jaguars with six strikeouts and allowed zero runs after Southwestern scored one in the third inning off starter Mia Star Miramontes.
Since March 12, in the stretch of seven games for Cerritos, Cortez has pitched 31 2/3 innings with a 3.13 ERA.
The Falcons took both games of the double header and improved to 18-7 overall and are currently 10-2 in conference play.
Cerritos will resume conference play on March 24 against East Los Angeles College.
Behind the strong pitching performances of starters Mia Guzman for Southwestern and Cerritos’ Miramontes, the game quickly developed into a pitchers duel after the Falcons failed to capitalize on a key scoring opportunity in the opening frame and stranded three runners.
The Jaguars scored first on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Jules Lemen after the first three hitters reached base in the top of the third inning. Miramontes was removed from the 1-0 game and Cortez retired the next two batters in order and took control the rest of the way.
The Falcons would eventually tie the game in the sixth inning on a Luna Villa groundout that allowed the lead runner to score from third base.
In the final inning, in a tie game, Isabella Najera led off the inning and reached base after being hit by a pitch. Back-to-back bunts by Sienna Contreras and Amarie Encarnacion would allow the winning run in Najera to reach third.
Alyssa Avila then came up to bat for the Falcons with one out and drove in the winning run on her sacrifice fly to right field.
“Their ‘no die’ attitude is gigantic,” Murray said.
Murray noted the abnormally busy schedule the softball team played recently and said it wasn’t just about Saturday’s game but that the entire week of games had a role in the exhaustion some players may have felt.
