WALK-OFF WIN

By Brandon Petersen

Westcliff saved its best for last.

After battling back-and-forth with Arizona Christian (RV) all afternoon, the Warriors delivered in the clutch, walking off with a 4-3 win in Game 2 of Friday's doubleheader at OC Great Park.

Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Alyssa Patlan sparked the rally, reaching and eventually scoring the winning run on a Jasmyn Lara single to right field, sealing the victory for Westcliff.

The Warriors (15-21) built an early lead with a mix of timely hitting and pressure on the basepaths. Gracie Firth got Westcliff on the board in the second with a sacrifice fly, and Emma Avelar followed with an RBI single in the third to make it 2-0.

After Arizona Christian (28-9) answered in the fourth, Firth delivered again in the bottom half, ripping an RBI triple to push the lead back to two runs.

The Firestorm chipped away late, scoring once in the sixth and again in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3-3, setting up the final inning drama.

Westcliff finished with seven hits, led by Avelar's 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Firth drove in two runs, while Lara delivered the decisive RBI in the seventh.

In the circle, Jolene Miramontes went the distance, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five to earn the win.

Despite being outhit early, the Warriors capitalized on defensive miscues by Arizona Christian, which committed three errors in the game, all leading to unearned runs.

With the win, Westcliff closed the day on a high note against a strong, nationally recognized opponent, showing resilience in a tightly contested finish.