By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Turlock softball drops play-in contest to Edison
Turlock softball 2
Turlock junior Sophia Trujillo is greeted by teammates at home plate after blasting a home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning of Monday’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division I play-in game against Edison. The Bulldogs fell short by a 9-7 score (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

The postseason for local prep softball began on Monday afternoon with play-in games held across multiple of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s seven divisions. Turlock High hosted Edison in the Division I contest, but a late comeback attempt fell just short, and the 9-7 loss marked the end of the Bulldogs’ season.

The Bulldogs, seeded No. 15 in the bracket, surrendered nine unanswered runs to the No. 18 Vikings prior to the bottom of the seventh.

Turlock softball 1
Turlock senior Kendall Higgins delivers a strike in the sixth inning of Monday’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division I play-in game against Edison. The right-hander pitched a complete game as the Bulldogs fell just short, 9-7 (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

Trailing 9-1 with the season on the line, junior Sophia Trujillo led off the final inning with a home run to center field. Edison starter Alicia Leiva then retired two of the next three batters before the Turlock offense took off with a five-run, two-out rally on five straight hits and an error.

Junior Chloe Chapman continued to cut into the lead with an RBI single to left to make it 9-3. The next batter, junior Rylee Murphy plated another run with a single to deep center. Two more runs came across on the very next offering to senior Abby Maxwell, who smacked a double to the center field fence. Sophomore Brooke de la Motte made it a 9-7 game by grounding a single past the Edison shortstop.

Trujillo, batting for the second time in the inning, continued her hot streak by roping a line drive double to center field, advancing the lead runner to third base. Leiva then induced an infield fly to extinguish the threat and advance her team to Wednesday’s first round.

Edison’s nine runs came after the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, when Maxwell hit a grounder up the middle to score Murphy, who reached on an error in the previous plate appearance.

Leiva gave up the seven runs on 12 hits and a pair of walks while striking out five Bulldogs.

Turlock senior starting pitcher Kendall Higgins also went the distance, giving up the nine runs (seven earned) on eight hits and two walks. Higgins struck out three Vikings in the effort.

Monday’s loss also snapped Turlock’s nine-game winning streak, which continued last Tuesday with a 13-3 win over Pitman in the final game of the regular season. The victory also clinched the season series against the Pride, 2-1.

The Bulldogs end their season at 13-12 overall after an 11-4, third-place finish in the CCAL.