First published in the May 19 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
The Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy varsity softball team suffered its first shutout loss of the season to visiting El Toro High of Lake Forest, 6-0, in a CIF-SS Division V semifinal game on Saturday.
The Tologs, who finished with a 19-9 overall record, were Sunshine League champions for a third consecutive time dating back to 2019 (and excluding the 2020 pandemic-shortened campaign). They had a perfect 6-0 league record.
FSHA junior Marie Milton collected a double against El Toro while senior captain Victoria Ramirez, senior Maddie Napierala and freshman Ava Nawrocki each produced a base hit.
The visiting Tologs edged Fillmore, 5-4, in a quarterfinal game last Thursday. Ramirez, who blasted a home run, drove in a pair of RBIs and scored twice, pitched a complete game to earn the win, allowing four earned runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
Marie Milton tallied three doubles and a run scored, Napierala finished with three base hits, and junior Meghan Garrity produced a base hit and two RBIs. Sophomore Isabella Guerrero had a base hit and an RBI, while sophomore Megan Milton scored twice.
FSHA defeated host Walnut, 6-2, in a second-round matchup last Tuesday. Ramirez went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. She also pitched a complete game in the circle, allowing two earned runs on eight hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. Milton blasted a solo home run of her own, while Napierala finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Garrity and Megan Milton each produced a base hit, an RBI and a run scored, senior Faith Blea tallied a base hit and a run scored, and Guerrero notched a base hit.
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Ramirez was the team’s ace in the circle, registering a 12-6 record with a 1.70 ERA and 112 strikeouts across 115 innings pitched while limiting opposing batters to a .211 average. At the plate, she posted a .494/.559/.965 slash line with a team-best 1.525 OPS while leading the team in RBIs (39), doubles (13) and home runs (eight).
Napierala had a phenomenal season at the plate with an absurd .617/.635/.783 slash line with a 1.418 OPS. She also had 18 RBIs, 12 runs and eight doubles.
Marie Milton was a force at the plate as she led the team in hits (53) and runs scored (42) while adding 35 RBIs, 12 doubles, four triples and three home runs.
Nawrocki’s first full campaign as a high school ballplayer was a successful one, as she boasted a .479 batting average while leading the team in triples (six) with 32 runs, 24 RBIs, three home runs and seven doubles.
Garrity had a .333 batting average with 20 runs and 19 RBIs, Guerrero batted .312 with 26 RBIs and 23 runs, Blea finished with a .288 average, 17 RBIs and 15 runs, and senior Lola Low racked up 10 hits, nine RBIs and 14 runs scored in 56 plate appearances.
