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PLEASANTON — The upper the stakes, the higher San Ramon Valley senior pitcher Paige McLeod carried out.
Amador Valley had six runners in scoring place with just one out in the course of the East Bay Athletic League championship sport on Thursday afternoon.
All six ended the inning stranded at second or third base.
Fittingly sufficient, the championship-clinching strikeout got here with the tying run on third and the successful run at second.
San Ramon Valley’s complete roster charged out to have a good time with McLeod, who pitched all seven innings and struck out 5 within the 2-1 victory. Among the many first to achieve her was third-baseman and childhood buddy Sophia Baccei.
“This actually seems like a full-circle second, as a result of we’ve performed with one another since we had been eight, and now we’re virtually eighteen and going out on a very good finish,” Baccei stated.
SRV coach Lori Smith did analysis earlier within the day to search out out if the college had ever gained a league title, and she or he believed the 2023 group could be the primary to perform the feat.
San Ramon Valley (20-5) struck early, with leadoff-hitting sophomore Sophia Jin scoring on an Ava Lyons single in the course of the first inning.
The Wolves made it 2-0 within the fourth inning when senior Samm Shah, who batted 2 for 3, received on base with a single after which raced house after an Amador Valley error.
Smith tabbed seniors Shah, McLeod and Baccei because the gamers who set the usual for the remainder of the group.
“These three seniors have completely modified this system,” Smith stated.
Amador (15-11) had its possibilities to attain, however each hard-hit ball appeared to fly straight into the ready mitt of an SRV defender. Even when Amador’s hitters discovered a gap, the Wolves’ protection stored every of their six hits to singles.
“Once I get into these robust jams and hard conditions … I do know I can nonetheless go pitch the identical and don’t need to pitch defensively,” McLeod stated.
The Dons lastly received on the board within the backside of the seventh, when Mai Falcone lined a ball into proper area and drove within the runner with two outs.
The next strikeout ended Amador Valley’s bid for its first EBAL championship since 2015, however the group that entered with an eight-game successful streak remained upbeat afterward.
“I believe the most important constructive is that it isn’t over for us but,” Amador Valley co-head coach Courtney Hennings stated after the sport. “Now we have NCS to sit up for, and we will study from this sport.”
The Pleasanton college began the yr 3-8, however a surprising win towards Archbishop Mitty in early April began a run that noticed the Dons win 12 of their subsequent 15, together with a victory towards SRV.
“We used it as a leaping board into the remainder of the season, and hopefully we’ll hold it going for NCS,” Amador senior Aleena Helms stated.
San Ramon Valley’s seniors stated they might have a good time the victory with a visit to Primo’s Pizzeria in Danville.
However they vowed that after that, the group could be utterly targeted on prepping for the North Coast Part Division I playoffs.
The seeds will probably be introduced on Saturday.
“We’re gonna get pleasure from this one, however as quickly as we get up tomorrow, we’re going to be trying ahead to NCS,” McLeod stated.
