Pali High Softball Season Ends in Playoff Defeat to Eagle Rock

Last Thursday’s City Division I playoff opener started well for the Palisades High softball team, but it didn’t end the way the Dolphins had hoped. Their season came to an end with a 12-2 loss at Eagle Rock and the seven seniors hugged and cried after their last game together.

“It’s been so much fun and a lot of what I’ll remember is the moments outside of softball,” said second baseman Calia Hunter, who is headed to the University of San Francisco. “Those Venice games last year were a turning point because they showed we’re a team to look out for.”

Twin sister Talia Hunter, who robbed the Eagles of two runs with a running catch in left field in the first inning, is going to Santa Monica College: “We didn’t quite fulfill our wishes this year, but we worked with the JV players a lot  to keep the program strong.”

The No. 11-seeded Dolphins (10-9) scored twice in their first at-bat, but the sixth-seeded Eagles broke the game open with nine runs in the third inning and after a leadoff triple in the fifth, Elennie Hernandez scored on a fielder’s choice to end the game.

“This was partially redemption from our last game (a 15-0 loss at archrival Venice) but also one more game as good friends,” Cal-bound catcher Sasha Vanley said. “We prepared for faster pitching than what we saw today.”