HAWKS KNOCKED OUT BY PLAYOFFS
Jaguars score 4 in the seventh to end Liberty Ranch’s run
GALT — Three outs was all that the Liberty Ranch High softball team needed to advance into the final four of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs.
But Kimball came out with big hits that accelerated into a come-from-behind rally in the seventh inning. In the end, the Jaguars posted a 9-8 victory over Liberty Ranch. This is the second consecutive year that the Hawks have lost a home playoff game in the early rounds.
Rachael Atkins, Haley Ward and Jordyn Farren set the tone early for No. 3 seed Liberty Ranch, which hosted No. 6 Kimball at the Galt Sports Complex. On top of that, the Hawks outhit the Jaguars 14-10.
Liberty Ranch (19-5) held an 8-5 lead entering the top of the seventh. Then Kimball (12-11-1) used Savannah Rogers’ triple to left field, plus singles from Haley Souza, Rylie Costa and Leah Richardson to close the gap. Rogers scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.
“They just hit,” said Liberty Ranch coach Shauna DalBianco of the Jaguars’ bats.
Added Atkins, one of the Hawks’ captains, “I think the nerves got the best of us.”
Harley Ward led off the bottom of the seventh for Liberty Ranch with a walk. But two of the next three batters flew out, and one struck out, which ended the season for Galt’s second high school.
Leading 7-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Liberty Ranch increased it to 8-5. Emilee Mort walked, stole second base and scored on a passed ball.
Prior to the Hawks adding on what would amount to their final run of the season, Kimball of Tracy trimmed Liberty Ranch’s lead to 7-5 in the top of the inning. Costa smacked the ball that bounced hard down the third base line and deep into left field for an inside-the-park solo home run.
Kimball trailed 7-2 going into the top of the fourth. But it cut the Hawks’ lead to 7-4, thanks to singles from Souza, who drove in two teammates, and Rogers.
Behind 2-0 in the bottom of the third, Liberty Ranch, which had three hits in the first two innings of the game, erupted for seven to take a 72 lead with one out. Kayley Rocha started the hit parade with a single to left field. Then Farren, hitting in the No. 3 spot, lined the ball deep to the left field fence for a triple that drove in Rocha for a 2-1 score.
Farren didn’t stay at third base too long for the Hawks. Atkins clubbed the ball deep to the right field fence for an inside-the-park two run home run, giving Liberty Ranch a 3-2 lead.
“First pitch was outside,” said Atkins, who will be attending and playing softball at Chico State next school year. “I knew that she (Kimball pitcher Giselle Mendez) was going to come in. So I just told myself to wait on
the inside pitch.”
After singles from Presli Kooyman, Karli DalBianco and Ashley Hubert, whose hit drove in Kooyman, Ward smacked the Hawks’ second home run of the inning, this time to the center field fence. That drove in her, DalBianco and Hubert for a 7-2 score.
“It was huge,” said Shauna DalBianco of Atkins’ home run. “Those just pick you up as a team. That’s what we expect from them.”
In the top of the first inning, Kimball took a 2-0 lead with two outs. Costa and Rogers hit a single each, and the Hawks were guilty of outfield error, which led to the Jaguars’ runs.
Contact reporter Mike Bush at mikeb@lodinews.com. Follow on Twitter: @MBushLodiSports.