Herrera Hits Four Home Runs, Nearly Throws No-Hitter in Cole Valley's 29-1 Win Over Fruitland

There was a deal on the table before Addy Herrera stepped into the batter's box for the fourth time Monday afternoon.

Her dad had made a promise: if his daughter hit a fourth home run, her brother was getting a Texas Roadhouse filet. So the eighth grader walked out past the fence in center field, found his spot, and waited.

He didn't wait long.

Herrera — Cole Valley Christian's sophomore ace and cleanup hitter — crushed a ball to deep center with a runner on base, her brother reached up and hauled it in just beyond the fence, and the Chargers erupted in a 29-1 demolition of the Fruitland Grizzlies in Snake River Valley Conference play.

"My dad promised my brother Texas Roadhouse if I hit a fourth one so he went into the outfield to see if I would," Herrera told MaxPreps. "He was so proud of that play that he even tried to keep the ball. He was definitely excited, but he was excited for that 8-ounce filet that he was about to eat."

Herrera had a rack of ribs waiting for her too.

An afternoon for the record books

The box score from Monday's game reads almost like a misprint. Cole Valley Christian piled up 20 hits, drew 10 walks, and stole nine bases against Fruitland's Roxy Mason, who surrendered 25 runs over three innings before the game was put away.

But even in a blowout, Herrera's performance stood alone.

She went 4-for-5 at the plate with nine RBIs, launching home runs in each of her first four at-bats — to center in the first, left field in the second, center again in the third, and the brother-caught shot to center in the fourth. It was a four-homer, nine-RBI afternoon from a player who had entered the game with just five career home runs across 39 games.

In the circle, she was just as dominant. Herrera went four and two-thirds innings, allowed only three hits and one run, struck out five, and walked one — nearly completing a no-hitter in the process.

"I was definitely aware but I wasn't trying to focus on it too much because my goal at that point was to finish the game," Herrera told MaxPreps. "Our shortstop Lauren Colson made an amazing attempt to try and save the no-hitter and she went all out. I pride her for her effort on that one."

The supporting cast

Herrera wasn't the only Charger making noise. Colson opened the scoring with a solo home run to center field in the first inning and added a double and four hits on the day, she's been on a tear herself, with four multi-home run games this season. Catcher Brinkley Lauderdale also went deep, connecting for a two-run homer to right field in the second.

Cole Valley Christian's offense was relentless from the jump. The Chargers plated six runs in the first inning, erupted for 11 more in the second on nine hits, added seven in the third, and capped the game with five in the fourth. Gianna Maniaci, Abbie English, and Caitlyn Trueblood each collected multiple hits, and the Chargers' patience at the plate — 10 walks on the afternoon — kept the pressure constant.

For Fruitland, Macy Kile went 1-for-1 and led the Grizzlies with one RBI. Faith Newman and Grace Smith each collected a hit. The Grizzlies turn around quickly with a road game at New Plymouth on Thursday.

The bigger picture on No. 98

Herrera wears No. 98 in honor of Nebraska All-American Jordy Frahm, and her list of role models includes Kaitlyn Terry of Texas Tech, Taylor Tinsley of UCLA, and Lilli Backes, whose path resonates with her in a particular way.

"I saw Lilli on an Instagram video when she was at Georgia," Herrera told MaxPreps. "I'm not tall. I'm 5-foot-4. Usually when you see a collegiate pitcher at the highest level, they are tall girls. And Lilli Backes is about my height and she made it big. She is proof that you don't need to be tall to be a dominant pitcher."

The sophomore is a 4.1 GPA student with aspirations to major in business with a marketing emphasis — and she's already putting those skills to work. On her Instagram, Herrera runs a daily series called "Road to 61 MPH" documenting her pitching development, edited with CapCut. The hobby traces back to stop-motion videos she made with American Girl dolls as a kid.

"When I started playing softball, I was focused on growing and getting better on the field," she told MaxPreps. "Now I'm combining the two."

She only started playing softball three years ago. Her dad caught for her early on, until she started throwing too hard. These days, her brother handles the catching duties in the backyard — the same brother who jogged out to center field Monday and made a catch he'll probably be talking about for years.

"I wouldn't be where I am today without the support of my parents," Herrera said, per MaxPreps. "They really believed in me."

For Cole Valley Christian, that family-fueled fire is showing up in the stat line. Herrera now holds a 4-1 record on the mound with 46 strikeouts and a .531 batting average — second on the team only to Colson. The defending state champions look every bit like a team that intends to repeat.

Quote attribution: Addy Herrera quotes courtesy of MaxPreps. Game data via GameChanger.