Aquinas’ Savanna Estrada, (#14), celebrates with her teammates after hitting a walk-off grand slam, against Cajon to win the game during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
SAN BERNARDINO — Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Aquinas sophomore left fielder Savanna Estrada said she felt relief.
Aquinas’ Amani McField, (#7), rounds second base and celebrates after hitting a homerun against Cajon during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ Amani McField, (#7), throws out a Cajon runner at first base during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ Amani McField, (#7), and her teammates celebrate at home plate after she hit a home run to take the lead against Cajon, during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Cajon pitcher Jada Villegas, (#55), delivers a pitch against Aquinas during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ Sara Jamison, (#47), slides home safely as Cajon’s Sienna Garcia, (#23), waits for the ball during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas pitcher Mya Coleman, (#3), delivers a pitch against Cajon during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ Leilani Bustamante, (#21), and Cajon’s Jada Villegas, (#55), hug after the game during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. The Aquinas defeated the Cajon 6-2. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Cajon’s Salina Guzman, (#2), and Rylee Torres, (#35), attempt to catch the ball, as it drops in front of them against Aquinas, during the seventh inning of their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ Mia De La Fuente, (#48), arrives safely at third as Cajon’s Nadine Juarez, (#3), applies the tag during the seventh inning of their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ Ava Martinez, (#50), tags-up and slides into third base safely against Cajon’s during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ McKenzie Bacor, (#24), hits a single, that scores a run to tie the game against Cajon during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
Aquinas’ Savanna Estrada, (#14), celebrates with her teammates after hitting a walk-off grand slam, against Cajon to win the game during their CIF Southern Section Division 3 softball first-round playoff game.at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, Ca., May 2, 2024. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, Estrada launched a game-winning grand slam over the left-center field wall to lift unbeaten Aquinas to a 6-2 victory over Cajon in a CIF Southern Section Division 3 first-round playoff game Thursday.
“Honestly, I was under a lot of pressure, but I knew I could do it,” said Estrada, who leads the team with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs this season.
Estrada got off to a strong start, ripping a single to left in the first inning, but was thrown out at home plate trying to score.
“It kind of lit a fire under our butts and we knew what we could do,” Estrada said.
She finished 2 for 4 with four RBIs as Aquinas (28-0 overall) broke its own school record for wins for the second consecutive season. The No. 3-seeded Falcons now host Santa Fe in a second-round game Tuesday.
“We know how to work together, and we know how to sacrifice for one another,” Estrada said.
Senior pitcher Jada Villegas struck out seven for Cajon (12-13-1), which had its season come to an end with three consecutive losses.
“We’ve lost so many games just like that, too many,” Cajon coach Lee Haines said. “I don’t think it was so much her as it seems like late in games we just don’t make plays.”
The BYU-bound left-hander got out of jams in the first three innings, scattering eight hits over the first six innings.
“We’re going to miss her,” Haines said. “We have some arms behind her but there isn’t another Jada.”
Ci’Ella Pickett singled and came around to score on an errant throw to give Cajon a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Sara Jamison’s double one-hopped the wall in center field in the fourth, and McKenzie Bacor tied the game for Aquinas with an RBI single that bounced over third base.
The Falcons, who went 12-0 in the Ambassador League for the second consecutive season, grabbed their first lead in the fifth when Amani McField sent a deep fly ball to center field where it bounced out of Rylee Torres’ glove and over the fence for a home run.
“Absolute momentum shifter,” Aquinas head coach Lenny Duran said.
Isabel Ravelo opened the sixth with a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nadine Juarez, and scored on an error to again tie the game, Villegas tossed a 1-2-3 frame to push it to the seventh.
“I think we responded pretty good (and) came right back to tie it up but you can’t live on three hits,” Haines said.
Aquinas freshman Mya Coleman, got out of the top of the seventh on just six pitches and finished with four strikeouts.
“Mya did really well for not throwing her best,” Duran said. “She was a little flat and she went through it.”
Mia De La Fuente singled off Villegas to begin the bottom of the seventh and the Falcons went station-to-station to set the table for Estrada, who lifted the first pitch she saw from Villegas over the heads of the assembled members of the Aquinas baseball team watching along the left-field wall.
“Right now, we’re dogs and we’re going to dominate,” Estrada said.
