On Sunday, March 29, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) softball team had their backs against the wall. In the finale of their three-game home series against the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) Matadors, the Highlanders found themselves down 2-1 in the fourth inning and were on the verge of being swept on their own field.
At that moment, UCR head coach Brittney Matta decided to make a change on the mound. In came junior pitcher Brooke Perez. Perez struggled in her previous two outings against UC San Diego and Grand Canyon University. Nevertheless, Matta put her trust in the right-hander.
Perez awarded Matta’s faith. Perez didn’t just slow down the Matadors, she dominated them. Perez pitched 8.0 scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and just one walk. Perez stressed the importance Matta and her staff have played in her success this season.
Perez expressed, “The coaching staff has been able to push us to another level, and being able to go out there and show we can and do our best. When sometimes there’s other people rooting against you, I know that with this coaching staff, I’m always being rooted for, and that’s helped me so much.”
However, the Matadors tandem of junior right-handers Lauryn Carranco and Isabella Alonso made this game a pitching duel. Carranco and Alonso each pitched 5.0 innings, surrendering a total of eight hits.
The Highlanders leveled the score in the sixth inning as freshman first baseman Haley Saole drove in junior outfielder Eta Lauti with a single. Yet the game was still tied at 2-2 at the end of the seventh, so extra innings were needed.
The additional pressure didn’t faze Perez as she only allowed a single baserunner in the extra four frames. Perez shared, “I feel like the pressure is always going to be there. It’s kind of what gets me going, gets me motivated to really show my best against [the] other team … I play softball for that reason, for that extra challenge, for the extra push. And that’s exactly what the extra innings did. I knew if I kept going out there and holding them to no runs, that my team would end up showing out at the end.”
It wouldn’t be until the eleventh inning, but sophomore shortstop Trendee Kahunahana would be the one to step up for the Highlanders. Known more for her speed and defense, no one could have expected what would happen next. Down 0-1 in the count, she belted a walk-off solo homer over the left-field wall. Kahunahana’s first career home run couldn’t have come at a better time for the Highlanders.
The walk-off win improves UCR’s conference record to 6-6 as they jostle for position in the Big West standings. Perez’s stellar performance earned UCR Student-Athlete of the Week honors.
When asked about the award, Perez commented, “There [are] so many great athletes [at UCR], and to be able to be recognized for that is awesome. It also shines on the rest of my team. So I’m happy to get a little bit of notice from everyone at the school.”
Despite the award, Perez noted that she still has plenty of room to grow. She added, “I’ve grown in all aspects. Freshman year me would definitely be proud of myself. Today, I’ve been able to put myself through the hard challenges that I thought maybe I wouldn’t be able to in the past … Whether it be a win or a loss, my love continues to grow for the challenges, the people, and everything that comes with it has been so rewarding in the end.”
