PACIFICA, CA -- The Mills softball team excelled in the three main phases of the game and got some help from Terra Nova in a 5-1 victory against the Tigers on Friday.
The victory keeps the Vikings (11-3, 7-0) securely in the catbird seat in the PAL-Ocean race, two games ahead of South San Francisco (7-5, 5-2) and three ahead of Terra Nova (6-7, 4-3).
"We didn't play very well in the field," TN coach John Lewis said. "The first time we played them we lost 8-7. We made six errors in that game and today we made five. We're having problems with defense still, but we didn't hit either."
TN's lack of offensive production was due mainly to Mills pitcher Sara Cisneros, who gave up eight hits, but managed to get the big outs at pivotal times. She struck out five and walked one.
Using a fastball, rise ball and occasional change-up, Cisneros struggled against the top of the TN order, but only allowed one hit to batters four through nine.
Cisneros received superb support defensively and at the plate from her teammates.
"It really helps when my teammates back me like they did today," Cisneros said. "They always have my back."
Mills coach Dana Ynostroza was pleased with his team after he watched them bang out 10 hits and make two errors afield, but none at crucial times.
"It was a team game today - clutch hits and the pitching was exceptional," he said. "Not one person stood out today and that's what we're all about."
Mills scored all the runs it needed in the first inning, highlighted by consecutive triples from Nadia Brown and Gabriella Zucchiatti. Zucchiatti's three-bagger drove in Brown. Hospitable TN also made two errors in the inning to allow two unearned runs.
Makena Pember, Brown and Zucchiatti all had two hits for the Vikings.
Maria Borovina had three hits for TN and Tori Jaques and Kela Kapuniai had two hits apiece.
