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Martinez Tribune
It finally happened. We didn’t expect to see it any time this season during league play, but at Las Lomas on April 26, we saw the unexpected.
No the Bulldog girls didn’t lose. They did however play a full Diablo Foothill Athletic League contest without it being stopped due to the 10-run rule.
The upstart Knights showed that they’re a team on the rise, and that their team may be the one who flourishes in the new conference coming next season.
Freshman Mary Locher battled through the Bulldog lineup and while she allowed seven runs, at times she jammed some of the Bulldog hitters.
In fact, despite the fact that Karlee Sparacino was the one who drove in four runs on the day, the hitter who had the best at bats was junior Miranda Nilson.
After nearly driving one out for a home run to the opposite field, the outfielder was unlucky to not have gone 3-for-3 on the day.
She hit the ball with authority, and will probably see herself to continue to climb up the lineup.
In the circle for Alhambra, Sam Whitworth struggled with command, but did a great job of escaping any threats. Las Lomas’ patient lineup forced her to throw a lot of pitches, and coach Paul Buccellato lifted his starter in favor of Briana Edwards.
Edwards too struggled with command. Combined the two Bulldogs starters probably threw more first-pitch balls than strikes.
In just about an inning of work Whitworth threw 28 pitches. And in her six innings Edwards nearly cleared the 100-pitch mark with 93.
But while the lineup didn’t score at their usual output, they still managed to give their pitchers plenty of back up.
Bri Perez was the catalyst for the first run. A pair of stolen bases allowed her to score on a ground out by Sparacino and gave Alhambra an early lead.
The Bulldogs had their big inning on the third. Kimiko Zapanta walked to lead off the inning, and after a single by Perez the two were driven in by Sparacino, who doubled down the left-field line.
Nilson drove in a run on a single back up the middle in the same inning.
While Edwards worked her way through the Knights without much pressure, it was clear the Knights were making her work.
The only 1-2-3 inning for a Bulldog pitcher came in the bottom of the sixth, by which time Alhambra already was leading 7-0 courtesy of RBIs from Sparacino and Cara DiMercurio in the top of the fourth inning, and an RBI by Perez in the top of the sixth inning.
The Knights went away without much of a threat after that. A double senior Ashley Gardenal put a small blemish on Edwards’ line, but the right-hander was able to get clean-up hitter Alissa Gardenal on her very next pitch to close out the victory.
With the win the Bulldogs improve to 13-2 overall, and 6-0 in DFAL play.
The Bulldogs take on 10-8 Petaluma on the road on Saturday, April 30 in a non-league contest.
