Falcons celebrate

Down to its last out, the River Valley High softball team rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning Wednesday to turn back cross-town rival Yuba City, 5-3, in a Tri-County Conference contest.

The Falcons (6-3, 2-2) were aided by a couple of errors in the seventh to help give them their first win over the Honkers in the young history of the school.

"It's sweet to finally beat them," River Valley coach Karen Anderson said. "But that's the way it's going to be with every team in league, after the season we had last year."

Except for one flub, Yuba City (2-7, 1-2) may have continued its mastery.

With one out in the top of the seventh and Yuba City leading 3-1, Kayla Katras lined her third hit of the game, a single up the middle. She was forced out at second moments later on Amanda Sample's fielder's choice. Larissa Tokos followed with a single to right and Sarah Dalton added a base hit up the middle to load the bases.

Catelyn McBride then lofted a shallow popup just off the infield grass that the Honkers' second baseman, Randi Smith, managed to get a glove on. Smith juggled the ball briefly before it fall to the ground, scoring both Sample and Tokos to tie the game, 3-3.

"If the ball's hit like that to her 100 times, she makes the play 99 times," Honkers coach Chuck Robinson said. "She really feels bad about it, but there's no one else I'd want making that catch. I'd be happy if every ball were hit to her. She's the right person to make that play."

River Valley broke the stalemate on a continuation of the play, as the throw in from shallow right-center field sailed into the dugout, allowing Dalton to score. Courtney Smith followed with a bad-hop single past Honkers' shortstop to score McBride and make the score, 5-3.

Smith then went out to the pitcher's circle and closed out the game. A freshman, she struck out nine while scattering four hits in seven innings. She walked one and hit one batter.

"My curve and drop ball were working well," Smith said.

Yuba City made it interesting in the last half of the seventh.

Randi Smith opened the bottom of the seventh with a soft popup for a base hit that fell between the Falcons' pitcher, shortstop and second baseman. A passed ball put her at second.

But Courtney Smith struck out the next two batters and got the final out on a come-backer.

"It's great," Smith said of the feeling of beating Yuba City. "Hopefully, we're going to go all the way."

River Valley took a 1-0 lead in the second when Courtney Chacon doubled and scored on Samples' groundout.

Yuba City answered with two runs in the third. An error put Jacqueline Van Ruiten aboard and Ashley Richins followed with an infield single. Katelyn Noreen then hammered a double to center to score both.

"She's flat-out scary," Anderson said of Noreen.

"She's one of the best pure hitters I've ever coached," Robinson added. "She flat out smokes the ball."

Noreen ended up driving in all three of the Honkers' runs. The third one came off a groundout in the sixth.

Yuba City's Jordan Tracy suffered the loss, allowing one earned run while scattering eight hits. She walked two and struck out three.

Contact sports reporter Richard Myers at 749-4714 or rmyers@appeal-democrat.com.