El Mo evens pre-league record at 1-1; Tigers fall to 3-2
Things are heating up on the high school softball diamond this week, as Analy and El Molino teams continue to prep for the upcoming league season.
Both are coming off recent games, with the Lions (1-1) recording their first win of the campaign with a 7-2 pre-league win at Healdsburg, while the Tigers (3-2) fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with successive losses to Petaluma (10-3) and Maria Carrillo (2-0).
At press time El Molino was preparing to play a home and away series against Ukiah on April 15 and 20 and Analy hits the road for games at Maria Carrillo, (April 15) and Windsor (April 20). All games start at 4 p.m.
Lions beat Hounds
El Mo sent junior pitcher Katelynn Tourady to the hill in the April 9 clash at Healdsburg, and she responded with a complete-game, four-hit, 14 strikeout gem. The Lions busted open a 2-2 tie with a five-run explosion in the seventh inning to escape with a 7-2 victory.
“We still need to work on a few things before our next game, but I was proud of the way my girls played,” El Mo coach Steve Newcomb said later.
Junior Peyton Hamner paced the Lions’ bat attack with three hits in as many trips and a pair of runs scored. Other top hitters were freshman Erica Tourady (2 for 4, run) and Katelynn Tourady (2 for 3, run).
Tigers fall to Trojans, Pumas
Analy played host to arch-rival Petaluma in an April 12 clash, as senior Olivia Franceschi opposite the Trojan’s Rachel Bles. This one unraveled quickly for the Tigers, as the visitors tallied five runs in the first two frames and never trailed en route to a 10-3 victory.
Franceschi (3 IP, 6 hits, 4 ERs, 4 Ks) took the loss, while freshman Mary Franceschi (4 IP, 2 ERs, 2 Ks) closed it out in relief. Top hitters for the Tigers were junior Catlin Caughie (3 for 4, run), freshman Kylee Bauman (3 for 4, 2 RBIs) and freshman Malley Dyck (2 for 3, run).
Starting pitcher Olivia Franceschi (7 IP, 7 hits, 2 ERs, 7 Ks) deserved a better fate in the April 13 clash with visiting Maria Carrillo, taking a shutout into the seventh inning before the Pumas pushed across a pair of runs for an eventual, 2-0 win. Dyck collected the lone hit of the game for the Tigers.
