Calexico powers past Holtville for first CIF Division title since 2016
The Bulldogs will face DII champion Granite Hills in El Cajon Tuesday afternoon to begin state playoffs.
LA JOLLA, Calif. ( KYMA, KECY-TV ) - On Saturday afternoon under overcast skies on the University of California San Diego campus, the Calexico Bulldogs squared off with the Holtville Vikings for the CIF San Diego Section Division III championship.
It was the first time ever that two softball teams found each other in the title game. Calexico arrived running through the divisional playoffs undefeated, including a thrilling come from behind win over top seeded Holtville on Thursday in the semifinals.
Shortly after the loss, Holtville defeated the Academy of our Lady of Peace in the semifinal elimination game to setup the rematch in the final.
After a scoreless first inning, Calexico got on the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning. Senior Liah Valdez led the inning off with a double off the wall in right center. Victoria Vallejo soon followed with a single up the middle to score Valdez. Calexico held a 1-0 into the third inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Holtville's Kamryn Walker hit a solo homerun over the right field fence to tie the score at 1-1.
Calexico countered in the top of the fourth as senior Shanelle "shorty" Gascon sent a solo homerun over the centerfield fence to give Calexico the lead back at 2-1.
"I've been in a slump," Gascon said. "Just hitting that, I felt like I needed it for my team because we were feeling a little down after Kamryn [Walker] hit that homerun. I felt like I needed to get at least a base hit and it was a homerun."
Calexico would add two more insurance runs and led 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Holtville didn't go down without a fight as freshman Melissa Lopez led off the inning with a basehit, followed by lead off batter Kamryn Walker who doubled to the outfield wall. Lopez scored from first and Walker was picked off of second base for the inning's first out. Instead of Holtville having the speedy Walker at second and three chances for the tying run to come to the plate, Calexico cleared Walker from the basepaths.
Two batters later, Holtville's Brooke Strahm grounded out to second where Fernanda Cano tossed to Jacqueline Martinez at first for the final out, cementing Calexico's first CIF Division Championship since 2016.
"So many mixed emotions," Senior third baseman Liah Valdez said. "I can't even describe how I'm feeling because it doesn't feel real but, it's something extremely special."
Head coach Jennifer Lopez took over the program in 2019 with a reboot and rebuild mentality.
"COVID hit us hard when we were starting to rebuild in 2019," Lopez said. "The next two years was just putting the pieces together. This year, the girls that came on board, just meshed well. They bought into the program, the seniors led them all the way, everyone just knew what their role was on the team."
Calexico faced Holtville, the Imperial Valley League champions four times this season and defeated them in three, including twice in the CIF Division III playoffs.
On Sunday it was revealed that Calexico received a #8 seed out of eight teams in the CIF DIII South Region State Tournament. The Bulldogs will travel to El Cajon late Tuesday afternoon to face the top seed and DII champion Granite Hills Eagles. First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.
