Flames’ efforts not enough in playoff loss

The Lodi High softball team had been very productive on offense at the start of the SacJoaquin Section Division II playoffs and the final few weeks of the regular season.

In Thursday’s second round of the section playoffs at Bella Vista of Fair Oaks, No. 12 Lodi had its chances in the top of the seventh inning. But No. 4 Bella Vista hung on to post a 96 win over the Flames.

Kiara Baker led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, and moved to second on Ashlee Toy’s single. But the Flame baserunners were left stranded, as the Broncos recorded the next three outs to advance to the final four of the playoffs.

“We hit right at them,” said Lodi coach Michelle Souza of the Broncos’ outs to end the game. “They made the plays.”

The game was tied at 3-3 until the bottom of the fourth inning. Then Bella Vista (18-8-1) scored four times to take a 7-3 lead.

Lodi had its chances on offense the rest of the game. But the Flames couldn’t get the extra runs needed after the fourth. The Flames also stranded 11 base runners.

“Couple of bad running positions,” Souza said. “We came back, we hit the ball hard and continued to do so. But we just hit right at them.”

Lodi (13-12), which took second place in the Tri-City Athletic League, finished with 11 hits in the game. Toy, along with Alyssa Pinto, Shelby Katzakan and Allisa Yabumoto had two hits each. Pinto and Katzakan smacked a home run each, and also had three RBIs each. Harlie Litton, along with teammates Johnna Schroeder and Haley Price, had a hit each. Bella Vista had nine hits.

“Both teams knew coming in that are offensive teams,” Souza said. “It just didn’t work our way today.”

The playoff game was originally scheduled for Wednesday. But early morning rain in the Sacramento region pushed the contest back to Thursday.

This is the second time in three seasons that Lodi has been in the playoffs. In 2016, also in D-II, Del Campo, also of Fair Oaks, knocked off the Flames 7-1 in the first round.

Before facing Bella Vista, Lodi knocked off No. 5 Atwater 14-4 in the first round of the playoffs on Monday. Before post-season begun, Lodi knocked off St. Mary’s 14-12.

The Flames also beat rival Tokay twice in a week, and won all three games by a combined score of 36-8.

“Like I told the girls at the end of the game: To me we had a fun run compared to the last couple of years,” Sousa said. “I think a lot had to do with the way that the girls got along. We meshed well. I think we jelled well. I think they played hard together. Each kid has confidence in one another, to get things done, and it showed. I’m pretty happy with the team. I’m pretty proud of the girls on how they executed. Overall, we had a great season.”