Girls lose seesaw softball battle to VC

Ramona’s chances for a CIF softball playoff berth took a severe hit as the Lady Bulldogs lost a see-saw battle to Valley Center at home.

Ramona took an early lead by way of a two-run home run by Courtney Fick in the first inning. Fick’s two-out blast drove in Allie Ferguson, who led off the game with a single.

The Lady Dawgs added to their lead in the third inning with two runs. Tory Roberts led off the frame with a single. She then stole second base.

Hillary Roloff drove Roberts in with an RBI single. Ashley Brean singled and with two outs Ferguson walked. KK Melgoza worked the count to 3-2 and then received a bases loaded walk. The Lady Bulldogs stranded three runners in the inning.

Starting pitcher Ally Harvey breezed through the Jaguar lineup until the fifth inning, when Valley Center scored four runs. Marti Sanchez came in as relief and finished the game in the circle.

Ramona took the lead in the sixth inning when Cassie Ford led off the inning with the longest single of the season. Ford hit a line drive off the top of the fence that careened directly back to the center fielder. The ball was hit too hard to get extra bases.

Ferguson and Melgoza then recorded back-to-back singles to load the bases. Lexi Slater and Stephanie Kiesel recorded back-to-back RBI singles.

Ramona had five hits, four in a row and could only get four runs as the team left the bases loaded for the second time in three innings.

With the Dawgs leading 6-4 in the seventh, Valley Center got four unearned runs off Marti Sanchez to take an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Roloff led off the frame with a double. With one out Cassie Ford delivered the second single of the game. Ferguson ripped her third hit of the game for an RBI single. The game ended with the tying and winning run left on base.The defensive gem of the game was turned when Slater made a running catch of a line drive headed for the gap and fired a strike to Roloff at first for an inning ending double play.

The Lady Dawgs lost the services of Fick in the fifth inning when the junior catcher was injured in a collision at home plate. Fick went up for a high throw on a play at the plate and the runner slid and took her feet out from under her. It was a clean play, but Fick came down on her right arm and has a possible fracture. X-rays were inconclusive.