Host Napa posts undefeated record in first day of spring tournament
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
The spring softball tournament is an annual tradition for the Napa High softball team.
Safe to say it was a good day for the team as they went 3-0.
“We hit the ball well today, played good defense, gave up one run in three games,” Napa coach Ron Walston said. “You can’t ask for much more. They played very well today.”
Napa 8, Windsor 0
The Grizzlies began the tournament by getting some revenge on Windsor who they lost to at the beginning the season on March 14th.
Napa didn’t score their first run of the game until the top of the second when Lindsey Lehman singled and later came home on a Cali Olmstead single.
The Grizzlies added another run in the third when Haylee Giarritta singled and came home on a Kimmie Walston sacrifice fly.
Then, in the fifth Napa poured it on when they scored four times. Makena Walls singled then came home on a Walston fielder’s choice. After Walston’s fielder’s choice, Lehman walked and Arata hit into a fielder’s choice to load the bases when Jenna Baker brought them all home with a double.
In the sixth Napa scored twice more when Walls singled and Caity Newburn reached on an error, and both of them came home on a double by Walston.
Baker got the win. She went five innings, struck out six, and walked two, and threw 67 pitches in the game.
Napa 5, Dixon 1
In the second game of the day Napa easily handled Dixon.
They gave up their only run of the day in the top of the first, but from there in Napa controlled the contest.
“Jenna pitched two games. She was hitting her spots, mixing things up,” Walston said of the solid pitching on the day. “ Kimmie did the same. We’re still trying to take care of her arm, so we only gave her one game. But she did pitch very well.”
The Grizzlies scored their first run in the contest in the bottom of the first when Grace Guzman singled and scored on a Newburn double.
In the second Napa scored four more times. Lehman walked and Abby Arata doubled to set the table for Drew Somogyi who brought both of them home with a single. Somogyi later scored on a Giarritta single. Later, Giarritta came home when Walls singled.
It was Walston who got the win in the second game of the day. She struck out five and walked two in four innings.
Napa 4, Rio Linda 0
The final game of the day was stopped after three innings due to darkness.
Napa started the game fast by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. After singling and stealing second Guzman came home on a Giarritta single. Giarrita’s single was followed by a Walls single where both later scored on a Newburn double.
The Grizzlies scored once more in the bottom of the second when Baker reached on an error and her courtesy runner Somogyi scored when Giarritta grounded out.
Baker again got the win in the finale. She went all three innings, struck out three and walked one.
What’s next?
By virtue of going undefeated and giving up only a run on the day Napa was able to grab the top seed for the second straight year.
On Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Napa will face league rival Petaluma, while Casa Grande-Petaluma will face Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park also at 12:30. The winners will play in the 2 p.m. tile game, and the losers will play for third-place.
