Indians rally in 7th

After coming up short in six scoreless innings at Live Oak on Friday, the Marysville High softball team rallied to score five runs in the seventh inning, overcoming a 4-0 deficit and defeating the Lions 5-4 in a nonleague contest.

"It was like getting no luck, instead of having bad luck," said Marysville coach David Chiono. "But then it all finally turned around for us there."

The Indians (5-11) knocked on the door throughout the game, but they hit into two inning-ending double plays and left five runners on base before the breakout inning.

After Marysville's Danielle Ferrari and Kristina Trapp each hit singles to start the top of the seventh, Janet Thomas roped another into left field to knock in Ferrari. But as the ball bounced past left fielder Allison Yanez, Trapp continued rounding the bases, and a poor throw home, coupled with some aggressive base running by Thomas, allowed all three runners to score.

For Live Oak (7-8), it was a meltdown.

"We just lost focus and made a couple of mistakes at the wrong time," said Live Oak coach Brad Emery. "We gave it away."

But it wasn't the three singles in the inning that doomed Live Oak, it was the four errors and costly wild pitch. Up until that point, the Lions had committed no errors.

Following the three runs, Marysville's Kasie Black popped up to right field, but Judy Saefong dropped the ball and Black took second.

Tyler Duluca then laid down a bunt to advance the runner, but a poor throw by pitcher Courtney Souza sailed past first baseman Ashley Howell, and as a result, Black touched home and Duluca took third, tying up the ball game, 4-4.

Then a pitch in the dirt got past catcher Chelsea Easton and Duluca was sent home to give Marysville the lead.

"The girls work hard, and a game like this says to them that, 'we can come back and win games like this, too,'" Chiono said. "This is a nice reward for them to get a win like this."

Live Oak had an opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, but the Lions were simply deflated.

"I felt like we played a pretty good game up until that point," Emery said. "Unfortunately, we just made some mistakes."

Live Oak got its first run after Teresa Montes hit a bloop single and then was brought home on a grounder hit by Angela Heredia.

Montes led the Lions from the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI triple, while Easton went 2-for-4.

Live Oak scored a couple of runs off errors in the fourth before leaving the bases loaded. Souza and Saefong each recorded RBIs.

Montes hit an RBI triple past Duluca in right field in the fifth to give Live Oak the 4-0 lead, but aside from that, the relief pitching by Marysville's Alex Tanner essentially shut down Live Oak. The sophomore struck five and allowed just two hits through three innings.

Until the final inning, Souza was also having a solid day from the circle, riding a five-hit shutout headed into the seventh.

Marysville's Trapp and Thomas each went 2-for-3 to lead the team from the plate.

Contact sports reporter Bryan DeMain at 749-4796 or at bdemain@appealdemocrat.com