Jessica Vega Solo Blast in 9th Lifts San Marcos Over Oxnard
March 20, 2023 | 9:24 pm
Jessica Vega of San Marcos rips a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Royals over Oxnard.
Freshman Jessica Vega blasted a walk-off, solo home run with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the San Marcos softball team to a 7-6 Channel League win over visiting Oxnard on Monday.
Her game-winner capped a great day at the plate as she went 3 for 5 with three RBIs.
“She crushed the first pitch high over the left-field fence for the walk off win,” said coach Jeff Swann.
The Royals scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning to overcome a 3-0 deficit.
Lead-off hitter Kate Guerra was hit by a pitch and Gianna Mandarino came in as a courtesy runner. Tiana Monaghan followed with a single and Solana Sandoval put down a sacrifice bunt moving the runners to second and third. Vega singled to score Mandarino and consecutive singles by Emma Foster (two RBIs), Gigi Gritt, Caitlyn Early and Kamilah Morales put the Royals ahead, 4-3
Oxnard retook the lead and San Marcos tied the score on RBI singles by Vega and Gritt in the sixth,
Guerra silenced the Oxnard bats in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. She was backed up by a heads-up defensive play turned by Tiana Monaghan and Caitlyn Early. After a lead-off double in the eighth, a bunt attempt was fielded by Monaghan at third. She spun and threw to Early in time to tag the runner going to third. Guerra would get a ground ball out and a popup to second baseman Kayla Aguilar to end the threat.
Gritt, Early and Morales also went 3 for 5 on the day. San Marcos collected 18 hits in the game.
The Royals (6-2 and 3-2 in league) play at Oxnard on Friday.