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Pitman softball comes up short in first round
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Pitman High was elated at the end of the regular season, winning its first Central California Conference softball championship in school history. The Pride’s (16-11 overall) enthusiasm was short lived, however, as Sheldon High (19-9 overall) destroyed their post-season dreams in the first round of the SJS Division I Playoff Tournament, 16-1.

The Pride entered Saturday’s matchup at the Sacramento Softball Complex full of confidence. For the most part, Pitman’ softball squad had dominated its opponents with strong pitching, stout defense, and reliable hitting. Things were different against the Huskies, though.

Pitman’s Janessa Guevara had trouble with Sheldon’s batters. The usually clutch pitcher gave up seven hits and seven runs during her short stand on the hill and only managed to record two strike outs, a paltry number compared to her average of 10 strikeouts a game. Alexis Mettler was called in to relieve Guevara halfway through the third inning but she struggled against Sheldon as well. Mettler finished the game with eight allowed hits, nine allowed runs, and only one strike out.

After scoring two runs in the first inning the Huskies broke it open in the third inning with eight runs. Six Sheldon batters finished the day with two or more RBIs as Alexis Cooper led her team with three RBIs. Sheldon scored three runs in the fourth and fifth innings to close out the game and send Pitman home.

While the Huskies had a solid offensive showing, Pitman struggled to produce an offensive response of its own. Sheldon’s Cooper split time with Christy Satterlee on the mound, allowing only three hits on the day. Pitman’s Aimee Gomez scored the Pride’s lone run of the game in the fifth inning, bringing Sarah Mayfield across home plate, but by then the victory was Sheldon’s.