Hartnell scores four of seven runs in final inning to beat Lady
Rams
Gilroy – The Gavilan softball team stayed close with Hartnell for six innings at home Tuesday. But it was the inning that got away – the seventh – that ultimately cost the Rams a 7-1 loss.
Gavilan, led by Cortney Almaguer on the mound, held Hartnell scoreless for the first two innings. The San Benito alum, who pitched all seven innings for the Lady Rams, retired all three batters to lead off the game.
“(Almaguer) threw probably the best game she’s thrown all season,” said Gavilan head coach Nikki Thompson.
But the Panthers would strike in the third inning, during which the Lady Rams made three errors in the field. Hartnell put across three runs in that inning to take a 3-0 lead.
After three more scoreless innings for both teams, Hartnell scored four more runs in the top of the seventh to take a 7-0 lead. But the Lady Rams would continue to fight and scored their only run of the game in the bottom half of the last inning on Salina Chacon’s RBI single.
“The good thing about this game is we didn’t give up,” said Gavilan assistant coach Rebecca Dayton. “We came back aggressive.”
Chacon’s hit was one of three for Gavilan. Ellie Gracie and Jessica McClelland provided one hit a piece. All three of Gracie’s trips to the plate resulted in the freshman getting on base, twice on errors.
“We had good hits, they were just right at people,” Dayton added.
The re-building Lady Rams have yet to get a win this season, but have three games left in the season to do so.
“Winning is always in the back of everyone’s mind,” Dayton said. “But we’re just looking to have fun and finish on a positive note.”
Gavilan travels to perennially-tough West Valley (Thursday) and San Jose City College (Tuesday) before closing out the season with San Francisco City College next Wednesday.
