The Pitman High softball team were rolling past each of their opponents through the first two weeks of the 2024 season, achieving a 5-0 record and outscoring their opponents by combined 65-6 tally. On Tuesday afternoon, though, they ran into the buzzsaw that is Enochs star senior Natalie Camarena.
Camarena, a junior right-hander that has committed to play at Cal Poly, struck out 16 in a five-hit complete game shutout against the Pride to win the opening game of the Central California Athletic League competition by a 6-0 score.
Not only did Camarena dominate on the mound, but contributed at the plate with a solo blast in the fourth inning to extend the Eagles’ lead to 2-0 at the time.
As Pitman head coach Joe Lewis said, you just had to tip your cap.
“She’s a great player… She’s good,” he said. “We just couldn’t hit. It’s just one game. It’s the first game in the league. But it’s a long season. I’m not worried.”
The only players who were seemingly able to figure out Camarena were Rylee Reeves and Peyton Avena. Reeves, who will also be playing collegiately next fall at UC Davis, smacked three singles while Avena blasted a double to deep center field before earning a single in the last inning. Madison Rosebrough’s patience also paid off as she worked a pair of walks.
“Nat is such a great player,” Reeves said of Camarena. “I just knew I had to wait for my pitches in the zone, staying patient before finding my pitches to hit and put the ball in play.
“We’ve been playing really good coming in. I think we can turn this around. This is a team that is really close and plays really good together, so I’m confident we’ll get it figured out.”
Lewis also believes that his starting pitcher, sophomore Jillian Baylard, will bounce back the next time she takes the bump. In her seven innings of work, she gave up five earned runs off nine hits. She also had three punchouts.
The Eagles struck first when Makayla Alailima had an RBI base knock. After Camarena’s fourth-inning home run, Alailima brought in another run just minutes later with an RBI groundout. The lead was extended to 4-0 in the sixth thanks to a RBI double by Joella Amezcua. The scoring was capped off in the seventh when the speedy Alaina Calvo drove in a run on a triple before scurrying home on an errant throw trying to beat Calvo to third base.
“She’s a sophomore and she’s been doing great,” Lewis said of Baylard. “She’s learning a lot in these games.”
Baylard has pitched in five of the Pride’s six games to open the year. And despite the loss and the five runs surrendered Tuesday, she still has a 4-1 record and a 2.52 ERA.
The 5-1 Pride will have an opportunity to bounce back Thursday when they host Modesto High at 4 p.m. The Panthers won their CCAL opener Tuesday against Downey, 4-2, to improve their overall record to 3-0.
