Heading into Round One of the CIF Southern Section Ford Softball Championships, the Mt. Baldy League Champions, Don Lugo Conquistadores  were favorites going into the game riding a 15-game win streak and obtaining home field advantage hosting the Hacienda League’s Diamond Bar Brahmas. 

However, the Brahmas proved when every player in the line-up contributes; there will be a successful outcome. Diamond Bar scored 19 runs in the game as they eliminated Don Lugo from the Division Four championship bracket en route to their 19-9 victory.

The Brahmas jumped to an early lead when Soso Hayes hit the ball out of the park with two runners on base. This gave Diamond Bar the 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. 

 Don Lugo trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the second inning tied the game up 3-3 by scoring two more runs. 

In the top of the third inning, Diamond Bar scored two runs to regain the lead 5-3. 

The Conquistadores would smash a three run home run to take the lead yet again, 6-5 in the bottom of the third inning.

Diamond Bar’s offense lit up in the top of the fourth inning as Kaitlyn Gomez led the inning off with a base hit. Gomez would eventually come around to score as the Brahmas scored six runs to regain the lead 12 to 6. 

Moving to the top of the sixth inning, the Brahmas bats remained hot as the line-up batted twice in the inning that saw Diamond Bar score seven more runs. The Brahmas would rack-up three hits, including one double, and four walks in the inning. 

The game would end after the sixth inning due to the CIF-SS 10 Run Mercy Rule as Diamond Bar led 19-9. 

Reflecting on the team’s stellar performance, Diamond Bar’s first-year head coach, Renaye Gamson, lauded her squad’s collective effort. “We stayed working as a team. With the bats, defensively. Our pitcher-catcher combo,” she remarked, emphasizing the cohesive synergy that powered their triumph.

When asked about which player would receive the game ball for outstanding performance, Gamson said, “Oh, man, that’s yeah, that is tough. It would be a team ball.”

Diamond Bar will face another tough opponent in the second round, but this time the Brahmas will be at home.

The Sultana Sultans finished in first place in the Mojave League and defeated Woodrow Wilson 7-2 in the first round and will travel to face Diamond Bar on Tuesday, May 7th.

The Brahmas faced the Sultans in a double header back in February. In the first game Diamond Bar lost 9-1 and in the second game won 16-12.

Tuesday’s game would be the deciding factor as to which team would remain in the championships and whose season will come to an end.