Pali High Softball Holds Off Unicorns in League Opener

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor      

How quickly things can change in a softball game. Palisades

Palisades seemed in complete control Monday afternoon in its Western League opener at LACES. The Dolphins built a 9-0 lead behind the pitching of Karlee Sanders, but when she tired and got replaced with one out in the fifth inning the Unicorns exploded for nine runs over the next two frames and after her team regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth, Sarah Feldman kept the opponent off the scoreboard in the seventh to earn her first save and allow Palisades to escape with a 10-9 triumph.

Third baseman Samantha Ruvalcaba had a single, a home run and two RBIs while catcher Celia Elisha and utility Rikka Richardson each added a single, a double and two RBIs for the Dolphins (3-2). Sanders, Jocelyn Harrison and Olivia Stanley had two hits apiece.   Richardson, Amanda Brown and Amanda Silver each stole a base.

Sanders leads the squad in hits (11), RBIs (11), batting average (.611), on-base percentage (.600), and slugging percentage (1.167) and Feldman holds a 3.17 earned run average with 28 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched.    

Meanwhile, Palisades’ baseball team played its best game of the season Saturday despite a 2-1 tournament loss at Westlake. Jett Teegardin pitched a gem, giving up only four hits and one run in 5.2 innings before being relieved by Caleb Gitlin.

Needing a run in the top of the seventh inning to stay alive, Palisades staged a rally. Gitlin led off with a single, Roman Hawk laid down a sacrifice bunt and Hudson Ramberg drew a walk to set up Noah Andrews’ base hit that scored pinch runner Jack O’Brien.  A groundout and strikeout ended the inning. In the bottom half, the Warriors loaded the bases before winning on an error, but Dolphins coach Mike Voelkel liked what he saw from his team, which dropped to 4-5 heading into Saturday’s 11 a.m. nonleaguer at San Pedro.     

“I’m so proud of you because you showed up, battled to the last out and nearly won,” said Voelkel, who notched his 300th victory with Palisades on March 7 against Hamilton. “I don’t like losing, but we can build off this.

Earlier in the week, Palisades beat LACES 6-4 and 7-1 to even its Western League record at 3-3.