Ava Espinoza (13) of El Modena catches a fly ball hit to center field by Sophia Sandoval (19) of Canyon in a Crestview League game at El Modena High in Orange on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
ORANGE — In addition to her fine performance in the circle, Canyon pitcher Jordan Simmons got plenty of help from her defense as the Comanches defeated El Modena 2-0 on Thursday at El Modena High School.
The contest was the Crestview League opener for both the Comanches (12-2, 1-0) and Vanguards (11-3, 0-1), who are ranked No. 8 and No. 7 in Orange County, respectively, and are considered contenders for the league title. The teams will face each other two more times.
Simmons gave up four hits, only one after the third inning, and had eight strikeouts with no walks.
Canyon turned two double plays and Simmons helped her own cause by making a superb defensive play,
“I would just say my mindset going into the game is just take it one pitch at a time,” said Simmons, a junior, who has committed to Brown. “I just tell myself that every inning, every play. I know my defense has my back, so they’ll support me and help me get the win.”
El Modena had runners on first and third with one out in the first inning when Julianna Bower bunted.
Jocelyn Alatorre, who was on third, raced toward home and as the ball was slowly trickling toward the mound. Simmons scooped it up with her glove and flipped the ball from the glove to catcher Carson Cooper in one motion.
Cooper made the tag on Alatorre for the second out and Simmons struck out the next batter to end the inning.
“We emphasize either offense or defense,” Canyon coach Jess Carbajal. “And the big part today was if the offense wasn’t going to get going, then we’d have to set them down with our defense.”
El Modena had runners on second and third in the third when Simmons got out of trouble by striking out the next two hitters.
The Vanguards had a runner on first with one out in the fourth when Madison Gallegos hit a sharp grounder to second baseman Victoria Oropeza, who then flipped the ball to shortstop Jade Diaz who stepped on second and threw to Irma Urincho at first to complete the double play.
Canyon turned a second double play in the sixth when, with one out and a runner on first, left fielder Kendall Nevin caught a deep fly ball and made a strong throw to Urincho at first to double off the runner who had rounded second base and was trying to get back to first.
In the second, the bottom of the order provided all the offense the Comanches needed. No. 7 hitter Sophia Sandoval and No. 9 hitter Maya Valenzuela hit RBI singles, scoring Mia Saenz and Sandoval, respectively.
No. 3 hitter Kaitlyn Galasso went 3 for 3 for El Modena.
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