Lily Cox (9) of Marin Catholic pitches during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The Marin Catholic team celebrates defeating San Rafael after a MCAL softball semifinal at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Angel Amesa (28) of San Rafael catches a ball while Lauren Osheroff (00) of Marin Catholic slides safely into home during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Sammy Horn (55) of Marin Catholic throws to first base for an out during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Megan Murphy (13) of San Rafael hits a ball during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Grace Berringer (21) of Marin Catholic connects for a hit during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Lily Cox (9) of Marin Catholic pitches a ball during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Karen Vela (16) of San Rafael hits the ball for a single during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Lily Cox (9) of Marin Catholic pitches during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Megan Murphy (13) of San Rafael pitches the ball during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Angel Amesa (28) of San Rafael catches a ball while Lauren Osheroff (00) of Marin Catholic slides safely into home during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Lily Cox (9) of Marin Catholic pitches during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Lauren Osheroff (00) of Marin Catholic holds the ball after forcing out Megan Murphy (13) of San Rafael during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Angel Amesa (20) of San Rafael celebrates scoring a run in the sixth inning during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Anna Held (7) of Marin Catholic and Lily Cox (9) of Marin Catholic both attempt to catch a pop up that fell to the ground during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Lindsay Harrison (1) of Marin Catholic crosses home plate in the 7th inning for an insurance run during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Lauren Osheroff (00) of Marin Catholic attempts to hand off a ball to Sammy Horn (55) of Marin Catholic while Gabby Rodriguez (22) of San Rafael runs to second base during a MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Angel Amesa (20) of San Rafael celebrates hitting a triple to clear the bases during a sixth inning rally while Anna Held (7) of Marin Catholic stands on third base during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Sophia Everett (28) of San Rafael throws for an out during the MCAL softball semifinal between Marin Catholic and San Rafael at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, Calif. on May 10, 2023. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
The drama was not lacking on Wednesday afternoon at San Rafael High in the MCAL semifinal battle between the second-seeded Bulldogs and third-seeded Marin Catholic Wildcats.
Marin Catholic ended up on the winning side of a 9-6 triumph but had to hold on for dear life after a late six-run rally by the Bulldogs.
The Wildcats (15-5) advance to the MCAL final against top-seeded Redwood on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at San Marin High. Redwood defeated San Marin 6-1 in the other MCAL semifinal.
Marin Catholic had already lost to the Bulldogs (14-7) twice during the MCAL regular season. When the Wildcats slowly built what seemed to be a comfortable 7-0 lead through 5 1/2 innings, it appeared they were definitely headed back to the MCAL finals.
San Rafael had other thoughts. Sophia Everett and Angel Amesa came through with two RBIs apiece in the bottom of the sixth to help the Bulldogs pull within 7-6 heading with an inning to play.
Marin Catholic second baseman Sammy Horn essentially put the kibosh on the comeback with a leadoff triple and scored on Lindsay Harrison’s single to center field. Harrison made it 9-6 after a single by Lauren Osheroff was misplayed.
“I really wanted to swing the momentum,” said Horn, who has accepted a scholarship to play at Boston College next year. “It was definitely on their side, but we got it right back.”
Horn scored three runs on 2-for-4 hitting and reached base four times from her leadoff position. Harrison doubled and singled and made two spectacular plays at first base.
“Way to battle,” Marin Catholic coach David Albini told his players after the game. “Way to come back and get some runs in the seventh inning. That was huge.”
The Bulldogs, who are expected to receive an at-large berth to next week’s North Coast Section tournament, took solace in their explosive sixth inning.
“We fought hard and we came back and came darn close,” said San Rafael coach Mark Everett. “If we could have held them in the top of the seventh who knows? We played a really good team. Everybody in their lineup can hit the ball.”
The Wildcats grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on runs by Horn, who walked, and Harrison, who was hit by a pitch. Horn scored the game’s first run on an error and Harrison came home on a single by Anya Jaroszewski.
The Wildcats added a pair of runs in the third thanks to back-to-back doubles by Harrison and Osheroff.
In the fifth, Gracyn Lovette scored for a 5-0 MC lead. The center fielder walked, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on a ground out.
The Bulldogs committed three errors in the sixth that helped the Wildcats score twice for a 7-0 cushion.
San Rafael was led offensively by Amesa, who went 3 for 4 and reached base four times.
