Softball team opens league with a win
By Bill Tamburrino
Ramona High’s softball team opened Palomar League play with a victory over Mt. Carmel and then dropped a non-league game to Santana High School.
Kailey Hill pitched in the two games and hit two home runs to pace the Lady Dawgs, who are now 9-3-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.
Hill got the start in the circle and went the distance for the 6-2 win over Mt. Carmel in the league opener. She limited the Sundevils to two hits and struck out seven.
Mt. Carmel scored a run in the first inning to take the lead. Amber Davis tied the score for the Lady Dawgs with a solo home run in the second inning.
Ramona put the game away with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Julie Ward stroked the second of her three hits in the game. KK Melgoza reached on an error with two down and Hill delivered a three-run home run to dead center field to give her all the runs she would need to win the game.
Ramona scored two insurance runs in the seventh inning. With one down, Ward doubled. Jazmin Simone reached second on a two-base error, scoring Ward. Simone scored when she reached on an error.
Hill pitched another jewel, but the Lady Dawgs dropped a 3-1 decision to Santana High School on the road. Ramona opened the season with a 9-5 win over Santana in the Cougar Classic. Hill limited the Sultans to five hits and only issued one walk. The sophomore right-hander struck out a season high 13 batters.
Santana scored all three of its runs in the fifth inning on a three-run home run.
Hill provided all of the runs as she belted a solo home run, her sixth of the season, to center field in the fourth inning to give Ramona a 1-0 lead.
KK Melgoza had an outstanding day at the plate as she went 2-for-3. Julie Ward ripped a double as she went 1-for-1. Adrianna Johnson and Ally Harvey both contributed singles to the offense.
“We had our chances to score but didn’t take advantage of them. We gave that game away,” stated Coach Antoinette Rodriguez. “We are playing well. We just have to take advantage of our scoring opportunities.
“We have played a very tough schedule and that should get us ready for the Palomar League. As I said, we have left some runners on base but we can work on that and make some adjustments and improve. We are playing well, but we can and will improve.”