Softball tied for second place in league
By Bill Tamburrino
The Ramona High softball team had another busy week.
The Lady Dawgs beat non-league foe Oceanside High School, came from behind to beat Westview High School and lost to Rancho Bernardo High School.
The softball team is in a two-way tie for second place in the Palomar League with Torrey Pines High School one game back of Mt. Carmel High School. Ramona is 16-6-1 overall and 4-3 in league play.
Julie Ward had a great outing against Oceanside High School (6-16, 0-6). Ward limited the Pirates to one hit, walked two and struck out four in a game that was shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule.
Ward got all of the runs that she needed in the first inning when the Ramona bats erupted for eight runs to start a 13 hit assault.
KK Melgoza led the offense with a 3-for-3 day at the plate as she scored two runs and drove in a run. Christian Barrameda also contributed three hits to the cause in four trips. Jazmin Simone had a 2-for-3 outing. Kailey Hill and Adrianna Johnson both drove in four runs apiece and both hit home runs. Ally Harvey had a 1-for-1 day at the plate.
Ramona returned to league play and found out that Westview High School (14-9, 1-6) had improved in the two weeks since Ramona had beaten them 10-0. The Wolverines took a first inning lead and led 1-0 until Hill tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Then the Ramona seniors came through in the clutch. Westview threatened to go ahead in the fifth inning when the wolverines had runners on first and second base with two out. A Westview hitter stroked a clean single to centerfield. Melgoza charged the hit and fielded the ball on the run and fired a perfect strike to catcher Amber Davis who blocked the plate and prevented the Westview runner from scoring as she recorded the final out of the inning.
Both teams threatened in the sixth and seventh innings but could not score sending the game into extra innings. In the eighth inning the seniors came through in the clutch again. Westview scored an unearned run in the top of the frame to lead 2-1.
Back bounced the Lady Bulldogs. Hill, Melgoza and Johnson all drew walks to load the bases. Kim Whelehon came to the plate with one out. The senior shortstop launched a fly ball sacrifice that was deep enough to score Hill. Harvey came to the plate with two down. The senior designated hitter delivered a clutch single between short and third to drive in Melgoza for a walk off RBI.
Hill went the distance in the circle to earn the win. As she scattered six hits and struck out six to pick up the win. She only gave up one earned run.
When called for some quotes on the Westview game, assistant coach Robin Brainard was on her way to a 5K race. After she gave the recap of the eighth inning she said, “I will have my phone on me during the race. I usually don’t like to talk when I am running but I can talk about that game anytime, anywhere.”
Ramona traveled to Rancho Bernardo (17-6, 4-4) and ran into a very determined Sara White. White and Hill locked up in a pitching duel but the Broncos made the most of four hits to beat the Lady Dawgs 3-0.
“They only had one ball that hit the outfield grass but their hits seemed to have eyes and we could not make plays on them. We had runners on base but could not come up with an RBI. Kailey pitched a very good game but you can’t win if you don’t score,” said assistant coach Corey McDonald.
Hill went the distance and took the loss. She struck out seven and allowed one earned run. Barrameda picked up Ramona’s only hit in the game.