Gahr softball takes stranglehold on San Gabriel Valley League

DOWNEY >> The Gahr High School softball team left 23 ruers on base in 14 iings against Warren this season. However, timely hitting and phenomenal pitching from sophomore Danielle Martinez led the Gladiators to two wins.

The second victory came on Thursday afteoon at Warren where Gahr (18-5-2, 6-0) broke though for three runs in the fifth iing on its way to a 5-1 win. The victory all but clinches the league title for the Gladiators, seeking their third title in the last four years.

“It’s about staying positive,” Gahr coach Shawn Quarles said of putting offensive frustrations aside. “You have to stay loose, maintain your momentum and make sure that putting ruers on base isn’t looked at as a negative. It’s always got to be a positive.”

Gahr, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southe Section Division 3, got a complete game performance from Martinez, who faced one batter more than the minimum in the first four iings and threw first-pitch strikes to the first 12 batters of the game. Warren (14-7, 5-2), No. 10 in CIF-SS Division 3, put ruers in scoring position in the fifth and sixth iings, but could only scratch out one run on a throwing error.

“It’s always important to get ahead,” said Martinez, who gave up five hits and struck out four while stranding five base ruers in the fifth and sixth iings.

Meanwhile, Gahr got three hits each from catcher Alyssa Kumiyama and third baseman Paloma Usquiano. Freshman Usquiano drove in the first run of the game with a two-out single up the middle in the third iing. Junior Kumiyama sparked the three-run rally in the fifth iing with a one-out infield single, her second of the game.

“You never want to disrespect the game, so I don’t do anything halfway,” Kumiyama said of legging out the singles. “When you go all out and do good things, good things happen for the team.”

Junior first baseman Malia Quarles and freshman Jazmine Hill followed Kumiyama with singles before Usquiano drove in two more runs with a single to left field.

Warren sophomore Brooklyn Araujo and pitcher Nina Garcia had two hits each and junior Jocelyn Heandez had the other hit for the Bears.

Gahr will host Paramount on Tuesday with only three league games left in the regular season.

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