The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The mantra was simple for Long Beach Poly Softball during their game against Wilson on Tuesday afternoon at El Dorado Park.
“Let’s HIT!!!”
That was the rallying cry from the coaching staff following every half inning in the field. And while it took a little longer than they would have liked to break through, the message was received in a big way.
The Jackrabbits erupted for 10 runs on 10 hits in the fifth inning, turning what was a 5-3 deficit against the Bruins into a run-rule victory, ending with a 15-5 final after six frames.
“That’s Poly softball. We hit the ball,” said head coach Elizabeth Sanches. “And it’s probably not the most practical approach to live and die off of the most inconsistent part of the game, which is hitting, but it’s what we’re blessed with. We’re blessed with very powerful bats, very smart hitters, very experienced hitters, and very selfless hitters.”
After falling behind 4-0 in the top of the first inning due to an extended Wilson rally, the Jackrabbits were able to respond with two runs in the bottom of the inning, then one more in the second to make it a 4-3 score.
Wilson added another run in the 5th to push the lead back to two, but that’s when Poly put the pedal to the metal, sending 14 batters to the plate for a 10-run explosion in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
Persjah Lam Sam did her job as the table setter, going 2/3 with a walk and an HBP, scoring four runs, and driving in another from the leadoff spot. Sophomore Bailey Holder had three hits, three RBIs and a pair of runs scored, and both players stole a base. Senior catcher Janelle Morris led the team with four RBIs, all coming in that fifth inning rally.
“It’s really fun,” said Morris of being part of such a potent lineup. “I know the girls that I have behind me, they’re like my sisters. It’s so fun, and it’s relaxing to know what’s coming up behind me and what’s in front of me. I just know the impact that we make as a team and individually, and I’m just glad to be a part of that impact.”
The Jackrabbits had 17 hits as a team, but only three went for extra bases as they were peppering the ball through the infield at El Dorado Park’s Field 5. Junior pitcher Tegan Breaux had one of those extra-base hits, launching a two-run double into left center to help keep that fifth inning rally moving along.
In the circle, Breaux settled in nicely after a shaky first inning. Sanches felt that she was facing a tight strike zone early, which perhaps forced both pitchers into the heart of the plate, but after that early four-run rally for the Bruins, Breaux did not allow another earned run the rest of the day.
“I told her throughout the game, we have a lot of game left, don’t worry about it,” said Morris of what she told her pitcher after the early runs. “Even if she was to get in her head, she knows what she’s capable of, and we all do. So I never had any doubt that she would be able to provide what we needed.”
Senior Emoni Lam Sam also scored three times for Poly, and sophomore Victoria Sepulveda collected a pair of RBI knocks for the Jackrabbits.
Wilson’s first-inning rally started with a hit-by-pitch to senior Sacha Zalamea, who scored twice for the Bruins. Tatum Yates delivered an RBI single right back up the middle and later scored on Giselle Joaquin’s RBI single. Freshman Madeline Bowser had a pair of doubles and a run scored for Wilson.
With the win, Long Beach Poly remains unbeaten on the season at 6-0 with a 3-0 Moore League record. The Jackrabbits have scored at least 8 runs in every game this season, and have scored double-digit runs in all three league wins, which were all via run rule. Poly has had three games either canceled or postponed due to weather, so they haven’t gotten as many game reps as they’d like, but things are going well so far, specifically for the offense.
“Game days are like a birthday party, I don’t know how to explain it,” Sanches said. “The real work goes in at practice every day of the week. That’s when we’re taking all of our reps. That’s when we’re hitting ‘til our hands bleed. That’s when we’re diving and getting dirty hour after hour after hour. But come game time, that’s like our opportunity to demonstrate everything that we’ve worked so hard on throughout the week.”
The Jackrabbits will play Jordan on Thursday and face Fullerton for a big non-league showdown on Friday. Poly also has their eyes on the clash with Millikan next Tuesday, in a game that was postponed due to last week’s heat wave.
Wilson (5-9, 2-1) will be hosting Millikan on Thursday at Joe Rodgers in their next contest.
