The Analy softball squad has benefited from outstanding
pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting all season, and this
week the ladies may have an SCL championship banner to show for
their efforts.
At press time the Lady Tigers (8-2, 14-8) were a full game up on
second-place Petaluma and Windsor, and needed wins over El Molino
(May 18) and against visiting Casa Grande on Thursday, May 20 (4
p.m.) to capture their first league title in four years.
The SCL championship may have seemed like a lofty goal for a
team that posted a 6-18 record in 2009. Throw in the fact that
Analy has two starting freshman and a sophomore shortstop, and you
have a team that may have snuck up on everyone this year.
“No matter what we do this year, it’s a fun bunch to coach,”
said long-time Tiger coach Nick Houtz, who accurately predicted
before the season that the team was “going to surprise some
people.”
Last week, the ladies took another big step in their title
quest, riding the hot hand of junior ace Nicole Ochoa to dispatch
Healdsburg, 6-0.
Ochoa was nearly unhittable in tossing a complete-game
one-hitter, issuing one free pass while fanning 12 in a sparkling
performance. Top hitters included freshman Maria Ragusa (3 for 4, 2
runs), Kaitlyn “Buggy” Jay (1 for 2, 2 runs), Rachele Lunardi (1
for 2), Heather Lunardi (1 for 2, 3 RBIs), and Taneya Wills (1 for
1).
Lions fall to Jags, Hounds
The Lady Lions suffered another pair of losses last week,
falling to Windsor, 13-1, and Healdsburg, 7-1. The setbacks gave El
Mo a league mark of 0-11, and 2-19 overall.
The ladies will close out the season on May 18 (after press
time) at Analy.
There were few offensive highlights in the May 11 loss to
Windsor, considering the Lions were on the wrong end of a
six-inning no-hitter thrown by Jags hurler Courtney Lucchesi.
The Lions rebounded with five hits at Healdsburg two days later,
but the Hounds would take charge with five runs in the first two
innings en route to a 7-1 win. Top hitters for the Lions included
Payton Fedrick (2 for 3), Taylor Olmsted (1 for 1, run), Julia
Spediacci (1 for 3), and Kerri Rampone (1 for 3, RBI).
