THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Whitney High School Athletics

The Whitney High softball team stood toe-to-toe with Capital Valley Conference No. 2 Bella Vista Friday, but after 11 innings neither team could break the deadlock. The game was called on account of darkness with the score 9-9. Four CVC teams automatically qualify for the section playoffs. A win would have tied the Wildcats with No. 3 Cosumnes Oaks. Tied 6-6 heading into the 10th inning, Bella Vista pushed three runs across the plate for a 9-6 lead. But with two on base, Whitney’s Ashley Williams rifled a towering shot over the right-centerfield fence to tie the score 9-9. After both clubs were unable to score in the 11th, the game was called. To open the game, Ashley Bliss blasted a three-run home run to give the Wildcats a 4-0 lead. Mazie Macfarlane had scored earlier on a fielder’s choice. “It is not typical,” said Whitney head coach Mike Mello of his team’s home runs. “I think Ashley Bliss’ was her first high school over-the-fence home run, ever. Then Ashley Williams stepped up in a huge situation and put it over the fence to tie this game.” Bella Vista rallied with two runs in the top of the third inning to pull within two. To begin the fourth, Bliss relieved starter Nia Trinidad. Bliss surrendered another run, but still held a 4-3 lead. “I have two stud pitchers,” Mello said. “I started Nia Trinidad; when she went four innings it started catching up with her. She had a few walks. “I had Ashley (Bliss) warm up to get her in and she held her own very, very nicely.” In the sixth, the Broncos scored three runs for a 6-4 lead. But the ‘Cats came back on Mazie Macfarlane’s RBI single to drive in Sierra Rodriguez and cut the lead to 6-5. After Williams was tagged out at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, Trinidad came to the plate with Mackenzie Macfarlane on second. Bella Vista committed a throwing error on Trinidad’s infield hit and Macfarlane came home to tie the game. Tied 6-6, the game went into extra innings. Both clubs put runners on in the eighth, but neither could get one home. The Wildcats put a runner on third in the ninth, but a pickoff at first base ended that threat. Neither team could score in the 11th and final inning.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Whitney High School Athletics

THE SUN GOES DOWN ON WHITNEY AND BELLA VISTA

JIM LINSDAU

Placer Herald | 4/18/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Linsdau