Bottomed Out upsets Juice in 11-10 thriller

(GWFL) – The Guam Women's Fastpitch League kicked off their playoff tournament Sunday at Leo Palace with the 2nd-seeded Lady Adahi taking on 3rd seed Kadukaz. Lady Adahi had finished the regular season 4-3 and Kadukaz 3-4 with the two teams splitting their regular season. Lady Adahi would get on the board first and never look back as they cruised to a 10-4 first round win over the Kadukaz.

Lady Adahi was lead by Celine Mendiola at the plate who was 2-for-2 with two runs and a stolen base. Nicole Cruz picked up the win for Lady Adahi on the mound going the complete game seven innings and striking out six batters. Shannon Reyes picks up the loss and Alex Cruz was 1-for-3 with three runs and three stolen bases for the Kadukaz.

Lady Adahi advances to the winners bracket semifinal game and Kadukaz fall to the losers bracket semifinal game. The playoff tournament is double elimination format with the championship game scheduled for Nov. 4, Sunday.

Come-from-behind victory

Undefeated Juice (7-0) in the regular season matched up with Bottomed Out (1-6). An absolutely great game down to the wire, the underdog Bottomed Out would score three times in the sixth inning to tie up the ballgame and then score the go-ahead run in the seventh to stage a dramatic 11-10 come-from-behind victory.

Bottomed out and Juice would both put five runs on the board in the first inning with both starting pitchers struggling to throw strikes. Juice would add three more runs in the bottom of the second to take an 8-5 lead sparked by consecutive hits from Jessilyn Balajadia, Cassandra Aldan and Devonna Palomo.

Bottomed Out would chip away at the lead scoring two runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 8-7. Juice would add a run in the bottom of the fourth and fifth to take a three-run lead 10-7 into the sixth inning. Bottomed Out came out swinging in the sixth inning with a leadoff single from Latoya Mojica, a walk to Zee Santos, and a towering two-RBI double from Paully Quintanilla. Vanessa Cruz would follow with an RBI-single to drive in Quintanilla and tie the game at 10-10. Suddenly it was a new ball game.

Bottomed Out reliever Vanessa Cruz would retire Juice in the bottom of the sixth inning giving her team a shot at the win in the seventh inning. Bottomed Out would answer pushing the go-ahead run across on an RBI-double from Lotoya Mojica scoring Sisa Quintanilla.

Juice would get the tying runner on base in the seventh inning with two outs but Tiffany Miner would end Juice's chances throwing out the runner at the third base to end the game. Vanessa Cruz picks up the win for Bottomed Out and Alex Aguero the loss for Juice.

Bottomed Out advances to the winners bracket semifinal to take on the 2nd-seeded Lady Adahi. Juice falls to the losers bracket semifinal to take on Kadukaz.