Americas defeats South Grand Prairie to advance to regional finals in UIL softball playoffs

Felix F. Chavez, El Paso Times
·2 min read

Americas is headed to the Region 1-6A softball finals for the first time in school history.

Christalynne Sepulveda hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Trailblazers to a 6-4 win against South Grand Prairie on Friday night at Lubbock Christian University in the Region 1-6A semifinals. The Trailblazers won the series 2-0.

Brianna Garcia began the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an error, moved to second on a bunt and moved to third on a passed ball to set up Sepulveda’s heroics.

The Trailblazers will play Flower Mound Marcus for the Region 1-6A title next week. Flower Mound defeated Keller Timber Creek in two games.

“Christalynne is a game changer for us,” Americas coach Roxanne Luna said. “She came up big when we needed it. I’m so proud of our team and our effort. Everyone stepped up.”

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South Grand Prairie tied the game with four runs in the top of the seventh.

Americas High School softball players Mia Perez and Sydney Saenz at practice on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022.
Americas High School softball players Mia Perez and Sydney Saenz at practice on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022.

Mia Perez was the winning pitcher, going all seven innings. The Trailblazers built their 4-0 lead behind a home run from Sydney Saenz and an RBI triple from Jaqueline Hernandez.

“Our sticks came up big when we needed them to,” Perez said. “We had a tough top of the seventh but we didn’t stop believing in ourselves. This is a great feeling to make history at our school. We are playing with confidence.”

Perez has won eight games in the circle for the Trailblazers in the payoffs.

Recap of Americas HS at UIL softball playoffs

The Trailblazers won the opener of a three-game series on Thursday night.

Americas started fast and led 7-0 after two innings on the way to an 11-1 win in five innings. Sabrina Carrillo drove in two runs with a triple, Saenz delivered a run-scoring double and Sepulveda hit a three-run home run.

Americas finished with 17 hits. Sepulveda had three hits and scored twice,  Garcia added two hits and Adlai Alvidrez had two hits and two RBI.

Perez started in the circle, pitched all five innings, allowed three hits and struck out seven. South Grand Prairie suffered its first loss in the postseason.

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Felix F. Chavez may be reached at 915-546-6167; fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Americas High School advances to finals in UIL softball playoffs