ST. VINCENT SOFTBALL: SV girls impressive in win over Head-Royce

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St. Vincent continued a strong late-season softball charge with a 9-2 win over Head-Royce of Oakland in a non-league game on the Mustang campus diamond Thursday.

The Lady Mustangs have won six of their last seven games, and look to avenge a last-inning loss at the hands of North Central II opponent Calistoga in a crucial match-up on Friday.

“Things are starting to come together for us, and wins over Redwood Christian and Head-Royce help,” said Lady Mustang coach Don Jensen. “We had a one-run lead in the last inning against Calistoga in our first-round meeting, but a double and long home run over the center field fence turned that game around. It was crucial because now we have to beat them twice to earn the top placement in the league. It all starts on Friday.”

Three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning broke the game open against Head-Royce (5-7). With the game tied 1-1 and Jay Hawk pitcher Ruby Siltanen spinning a strong game, the Mustangs struck on run-producing hits by freshman Kelly Stuhldreher and third baseman Haley Antonini. It was the 14th RBI of the season for Antonini.

After a passed ball allowed another run to cross the plate, the Lady Mustangs never looked back. Pitcher Hannah Sarlette pitched out of a tough situation in the final frame by striking out two of the three outs.

“I was especially happy with Hannah today,” Jensen noted. “She has been doing all of our pitching lately, and I could see she was starting to get the ball up in the zone in the late innings. She asked if she could close it out when I went to the circle to talk to her, and she came through.”

Sarlette picked up the route-going victory by allowing six hits while striking out nine.

Shortstop McKenna Wilson-Kay was a pest on the bases against a nervous Head-Royce defense that committed three errors and added five passed balls behind the plate. Wilson-Kay reached base four times on a pair of base hits and two consecutive walks. She scored two runs to extend her team-leading total to 21.

Alexis Torres also singled and reached base three times for St. Vincent. Torres began the game with a batting average of .523.

Jensen was pleased with the overall base running efforts of his team as the Lady Mustangs alertly took extra bases and scored every time the ball eluded the Jay Hawk catcher.

“We have some freshmen who are very fast, and I can spot them often as pinch runners. They have been an important part of our attack this season,” Jensen said.

Head Royce came into the game after extending Bay Counties East-leading Redwood Christian in a close 4-3 loss earlier in the week.

The important clash for the top spot in the NCL II against league-leading Calistoga begins at 4 p.m. Friday on the Mustang campus softball diamond. A Mustang victory would force a sudden death playoff game after the regular season ends.

St. Vincent followed up that game wit a 10-0 five-inning win over Upper lake.

Although the game ended after five innings, it was by no means a blowout. St. Vincent scored eight runs in the second inning, but was pretty much stymied by a strong Upper Lake defense, led by shortstop Janee Swaney, the rest of the way. The game ended when St. Vincent scored a final run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Lefty Amanda Yarger, working back from a leg injury, allowed just one hit over the five innings, walking five and striking out seven.

In the fourth inning, Upper Lake loaded the bases, but Sarlatte worked out of the problem by picking a Lady Cougar off third base with a quick throw to Hailey Antonini.

Best swings for the Mustangs were taken by Katelyn de la Montanya, who slugged a triple, and Kelly Stuhiudreher, who had a long sacrifice fly.

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