MORENO VALLEY — Riverside Poly softball pitcher Marley Audoma got to school early Tuesday morning to get in some extra work.
“The stakes were high,” Audoma said about the rematch against Valley View. “I wasn’t nervous. I just prepared myself to do whatever was needed to win.”
The sophomore right-hander tossed a five-hitter as the Bears exacted revenge with a 3-0 victory, the latest twist in the Ivy League championship saga.
Audoma became the first pitcher to shut out a Valley View softball team since Grand Terrace’s Selena Zuniga pulled off the feat during the 2023 playoffs.
“By far her best game of the year, and it could not have come at a better time,” Poly coach Robert Sakaguchi said. “I think she had a chip on her shoulder. She felt like she had more inside of her and wanted to prove that to everyone today. … Her adrenaline was really pumping and she kept getting stronger.”
Liberty beat Hemet on Tuesday and now sits alone atop the Ivy League standings with a 5-1 record. Poly, Valley View and Orange Vista are a game back. Poly (17-6-1 overall, 4-2 in league) hosts Liberty on Tuesday afternoon and will be looking to avenge a previous 5-4 loss to the Bison.
“After our loss to Liberty and Valley View’s loss to Orange Vista (both on April 8), we had a talk and told the girls this is still in their nards,” Sakaguchi said. “If we win out, we can still win league. We stumbled a bit early, but we know we can beat anyone in this league. And it looks like we’re back on track now.”
Poly started Tuesday’s game with three consecutive hits against Bella Hernandez, and Cassandra Ayala’s double to right field brought home a pair of runs. The Bears had quite a few chances to add to that advantage but left the bases loaded in the third inning and stranded eight runners throughout the game.
Valley View (18-4, 4-2) put some pressure on Audoma during the bottom of the fourth inning, as Jacqueline Devine reached on an error with one out and Hailey Ramirez smacked a double to right. Audoma didn’t crack, however, and she got a ground out and pop up, both to third base, to escape that jam.
“My change-up was definitely working,” Audoma said. “I also tried to change the eye level as much as possible, working both up and in and up and out.”
Brookelyn Duerfeldt went 2 for 3 with a walk, and her solo home run to right field with two outs in the top of the seventh gave Poly another insurance run.
Audoma wouldn’t need it. She got the first two batters in the seventh to ground out to short before giving up a triple to Valley Valley catcher Alyssa Torres. Audoma then put the finishing touch on a gem by getting a line out to left field to end the game. She finished with four strikeouts, three in the sixth inning.
“She did not like losing to them the first time,” Sakaguchi said about Audoma. “She was really determined to come out and beat them this time around.”
Valley View hosts Orange Vista on Thursday and seeks payback for that 10-9 loss to the Coyotes earlier this month. The Eagles play at Liberty on May 1.
“It’s a good league. I knew it could be like this,” Valley View coach John Perez said. “I’ll give their pitcher credit. She made pitches, but we didn’t hit the way we’re capable of hitting. This is the first time we’ve been shutdown in I don’t know how long. … Now we know we have to win every game to win league.”
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