Napa’s offense erupts late in win over Sonoma Valley to move closer to league title
By Kyle Foster, photo courtesy of Don Lex (LuckyDuckImages.com)
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
The inaugural Vine Valley Athletic League title is right there for the Napa High softball team to win.
On Thursday they took another step toward securing it by beating Sonoma Valley 11-6 to avenge a loss earlier in the season.
“It is, it’s very nice,” Napa coach Ron Walston said of the win. “That’s a great team, a great hitting team. We went flat a little bit, they got back on us, but you’ve got to hand it to them that team can hit. I’m actually a little surprised that they’re not higher in the (league) standings. They’re right there, but you’ve got to hand it to those girls they can hit.”
Napa (13-7 overall, 8-3 VVAL) scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first when Haylee Giarritta doubled and scored on a Caity Newburn single.
The Grizzlies also scored twice in the bottom of the third. Grace Guzman doubled and went to third on a Giarritta single, and then scored on a Makenna Walls sacrifice fly. Following the sacrifice fly Giarritta scored on a Newburn single.
The Dragons (11-11, 5-6 VVAL) scored two runs apiece in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, which made them a hard team to slay.
Late in the game, Napa erupted by scoring four runs in back-to-back innings to pull away. In the fifth everything started when Walls singled and then scored on a Kimmie Walston single. After being walked Newburn scored on a Jenna Baker double that also brought home Walston’s courtesy runner Olivia Vavricka. Later, Baker scored on a Jordan Blackmon single.
“We had some very good at-bats today,” the coach said of his team’s efforts at the plate. “We had a couple with a full count, I believe one with two outs, and fouled some pitches off, and came through with runners on, which we struggled with a little bit for a while. But, they’re starting to come around.”
In the sixth Giarritta doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Walls sacrifice fly. After another single Newburn was courtesy run for by Dalila Tapia who came home on a Baker single. After singling Lindsey Lehman was pinch run for by Vavricka who later score with Baker on another single by Blackmon.
Walston got the win for Napa. She went 5 and ⅓ innings, striking out one, and walking one. She also threw 75 pitches on the day. She also gave up six runs, one of which was unearned. Baker also pitched and went 1 and ⅔ innings.
“I think it was pretty good today,” Walston said of the pitching. “I think they can both be a little bit better at hitting their spots.”
Napa will be back on the field next Tuesday at 4 p.m. when they host Casa Grande-Petaluma. It will also be Senior day. Sonoma Valley, meanwhile, will host Windsor on Monday at 4 p.m. before making a return trip to Napa to face Justin-Siena on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
With a win on Tuesday Napa can be a co-league champion or win it outright. If Napa wins and Vintage loses to Petaluma, Napa is the league champion. But if both teams win they are co-champions, Vintage will be the champions if they beat Petaluma and Napa loses to Casa Grande.
