The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
Junior Emoni Lam Sam and Long Beach Poly showed on Tuesday they want to do whatever it takes to make a final push for the Moore League softball title down the stretch.
Lam Sam moved from third base to first base for the first time as a Jackrabbit and helped her team beat Wilson 6-3 in eight innings at Joe Rodgers Stadium.
“Obviously I’m going to sacrifice because we have a third baseman in Bella and she has an amazing glove,” said Lam Sam, who reached base three times and drove in a key run with a double. I had to trust my defense and trust my teammates and also trust myself to go to another position and be versatile. It’s a different perspective (than the other side of the diamond) but I honestly enjoyed it.”
After Poly and Wilson traded the lead multiple times, the Jackrabbits scored three times in the top of the eighth inning to win and keep pace with Millikan atop of the league standings. After the win, coach Elizabeth Sanches talked to her team about the trust and talent it takes to win late in the season.
“You have to have that confidence,” Sanches said. “There’s a fine line between confidence and cockiness, but we’re not out here to impress anybody, we’re out here to play ball.”
The decision to move the Cal commit Lam Sam to first base was part of a plan to get more offense in the lineup that has been fluid because of injuries and late additions. Sophomore Bella Correa took over at third base and junior Persja Lam Sam played second base while junior Sunnie Vaafuti moved to the outfield.
“She can play anywhere and is one of the kids who will say, ‘Where ever you need me to play is where I’ll play,’ and we’re trying to fit as many big bats in our lineup as we can,” Sanches said of Lam Sam playing first base.
Poly starter Tegan Breaux got the win by pitching a complete-game and scattering eight hits while striking out five. Wilson also got a good start from senior Alexsa Barrera (8 IP, 3 ER 8 H, 2 K).
Wilson took a first-inning lead when junior Charlotte White led off with a single and scored on Tallulah Watts’ ground ball.
Poly tied it up 1-1 in the third inning thanks to a couple Wilson miscues as Star T. Sepulveda was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced on an error and scored on a wild pitch.
The Bruins retook the lead in the bottom of the third thanks to Sacha Zalamea’s RBI triple that scored freshman Katherine Theriault.
In the fifth inning, Sepulveda was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning for the second time. She gave Poly the 3-2 lead by scoring on Lam Sam’s double into the gap in left center field.
“I told myself to keep my hands back and don’t be anxious,” Lam Sam said of the big hit. “Obviously the fence here is short, balls in the air get caught. It needs line drives, just stay through it and give your team (behind you) a chance.”
Lam Sam scored on Kween Tauala’s 1-out single that gave Poly a 3-2 advantage.
Wilson immediately tied it up again in the bottom of the fifth when Theriault collected her second single and scored her second run on a Jackrabbits throwing error.
After both teams threatened to score again in the seventh inning before Poly scored three times in the eighth. Freshman Isabella Cisneros led off with a double, and ended up scoring on a wild pitch. Janelle Morris walked and scored, as did junior Alayna Veavealagi.
Poly needs to keep winning and get some help to catch Millikan in the standings, but the Jackrabbits think they can get there.
“Our whole team believes (we’re the best team), it’s literally what we practice and play for. It’s go for it all or go home,” Lam Sam said. “It’s about having confidence in ourselves and slowing down, not individually but as a team.”
“In the seventh inning we had a good shot there, and we hit the ball hard,” Wilson coach George Molina said. “We had chances and we battled but they had the big inning and we didn’t.”
(Due to technical difficulties there won’t be a highlight video for this game.)
