The Bulldogs and Spartans were involved in a slugfest throughout the contest 

In the first game for Javier Rojas as the head coach of the Burbank Bulldogs softball program Burbank and La Canada battled in an offensive slugfest throughout the contest in both teams ending up with a 7-7 tie. Cristal Quinonez drove in Charley Barnett with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the seventh inning. Heading into the first game of the season, Burbank finished last season with a 12-13 overall record and a 5-2 record in Pacific League play and La Canada went 17-9-1 overall and 8-4 in Rio Hondo League play. 

Maddison Kellogg of Burbank pitched all seven innings by allowing 7 runs and striking out 12 batters. La Canada used two pitchers in the game where starter Catlin Yee struck out four batters in six innings pitched along with allowing six runs. Natalie Stogel came on in relief and pitched one inning and she allowed one run and recorded one strikeout. 

Kellogg ran into trouble in the top of the first inning as the Spartans began the game by scoring four runs. Eventually Kellogg got out of trouble by striking out Yee and getting Alex Kim on a groundout to end the top half of the first inning. Following La Canada’s four run top of the first, Burbank found a way to come back into the game by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Chloe Updike got the offense going by reaching first base on a leadoff walk then stole second base to move into scoring position. 

Kassie Kimmer drove home Updike to get the Bulldogs on the board when she reached base on an error by Catlin Yee. Quinonez hit a two run double to drive in two runs to get Burbank within one of La Canada. Sofia Solorzano had a chance to break the game open with the bases loaded and two outs, but ended up grounding out to the first baseman Natalie Stogel to strand the bases loaded, ending the bottom half of the first inning. 

Following Kellogg’s rough first inning, she responded with a much better second inning by striking out the side and putting a zero on the board. Kassie Kimmer tied the game in the bottom of the second with an RBI sacrifice bunt and Kayla Orozco gave the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead on a two-out sacrifice fly. The offensive parade continued throughout the game and in the seventh inning the Bulldogs and Spartans traded runs. Leela Ditullio reached base on a walk before Victoria Kelly scored the go ahead run to put the Spartans up 7-6. Ditullio reached second on the play, the result of a throwing error on Kassie Kimmer. 

In the bottom of the seventh inning Kayla Orozco began the home half of the inning with a leadoff walk. Quinonez drove home pinch-runner Alyssa Perez with a two-out RBI groundout to tie the game at seven. Priscilla Sanchez got hit by a pitch and then stole second base as the potential winning run for the Bulldogs. Isabel Villagran had a chance to deliver in the clutch but ended up striking out looking to end the game. 

“Other than the first inning the girls battled back and never waivered. They made adjustments throughout the game, but I was very proud of how they played despite ending the game in a tie.” said Javier Rojas. Rojas admitted that he was very hopeful about the team getting better each game and mentioned that they play hard no matter what. 

Burbank and La Canada both start the season with a 0-0-1 record and will both return to action on Thursday, February 20th. The Bulldogs will host Eagle Rock at 3:00 p.m. and La Canada will host Burroughs (Burbank) in their home opener with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.