Pali High Softball Gives Extra Effort

The Palisades High softball team was down to its final strike in the bottom of the ninth inning when senior third baseman Milly Acevedo launched a pitch over the center field fence for a game-tying home run in Monday’s first-place showdown against Venice.

The solo blast kept the host Dolphins alive, but they were unable to score again and eventually fell 9-8 in 10 innings for their first defeat in Western League play. Alyssa Wallin, Talia Hunter, Samahni Squalls and Molly Tenenbaum all had RBIs in a five-run fourth inning that gave Palisades a 6-3 lead, but Venice answered with four runs in the fifth.

Tori Raygosa pitched nine innings for the Gondoliers and finished with 16 strikeouts.

“She’s a good pitcher but personality-wise we let her get to us a little,” said Pali High senior catcher Sasha Vanley, who had a single, a double and scored two runs, including the tying run in the sixth on a hit to the right-center field gap by Molly Tenenbaum. “We got a little rattled when they brought her back in. Next game will be very different!”

The teams will meet again in their Western League finale May 2 at Venice. Palisades travels to University for a makeup game Friday.