Jaguars Win Game One in Regional Playoffs Against Reedley
The SJCC Jaguars came from behind to win the first of the best three playoff games against Reedley in the Northern California Regionals.
The Northern California Regional Playoff game between San Jose City College (SJCC) and Reedley College was a thrilling matchup that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end. The game took place on May 3, 2024, at San Jose's home field.
The game started off quietly, with both teams unable to score in the first two innings. In the top of the third, Reedley broke the deadlock with Anahi Castillo hitting a single to left field, bringing in Nissa Gonzalez for the first run of the game. Celine Ramos followed up with a two-run single, extending Reedley's lead to 3-0.
San Jose responded in the bottom of the third when Ashley Skipper scored on a passed ball, cutting Reedley's lead to 3-1. The game remained tight as both teams battled back and forth, with solid pitching from both Trinity Sanchez of Reedley and Avery Mytnik of San Jose.
In the sixth inning, Hope Ficher of Reedley added another run with an RBI single, making it 4-1 in favor of Reedley. But San Jose wasn't ready to give up just yet. In the bottom of the sixth, Faamaai Ulu hit a two-run single, bringing in Malia Venegas and Shimon Davis to narrow the gap to 4-3.
As the game headed into the final inning, San Jose found themselves trailing by one run. But they rallied in the bottom of the seventh, with Deja Jimenez hitting an RBI single to tie the game at 4-4. Malia Venegas then came through with a clutch two-run single, bringing in Shimon Davis and Jimenez to give San Jose a 6-4 lead.
With momentum on their side, San Jose's pitcher Evangelina Chavarria shut down Reedley at the top of the seventh to secure the win for SJCC. Chavarria came in relief of Mytnik and earned the win, improving her record to 10-3.
It was a hard-fought victory for San José City College, as they showed grit and determination to come from behind and clinch the win. The players and fans celebrated as they took the first game of the series, looking ahead to the next matchup with confidence and determination. The next game is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, at 12 pm at the Jaguar Softball Field.
Watch the highlights here.