Prep softball: Marin Catholic sees season end with loss to Petaluma

Marin Catholic’s Malliah Foster began the game by pitching out of a two-on, no-out jam so when Petaluma found itself in that situation again with the game on the line in the sixth inning, the Trojans changed their approach.

Petaluma swung away in the first inning but MC catcher Lyla Gonzalez made a spectacular catch in foul territory, Bella Ferrety threw out a runner at home, and Foster registered a strikeout to end the early threat.

In the sixth inning, the Trojans decided to go to the squeeze play and executed it to great effect scoring three decisive runs in an eventual 5-3 victory in a North Coast Section Division II playoff game at Novato High on Wednesday.

“When they start bunting like they were doing that last inning, we need to take an out at first base and calm down,” MC coach Dave Albini said. “We’re trying to get outs at home plate. If you execute a squeeze play properly, you’re not going to get a girl out at home plate so we need to take outs at first base and limit the damage.”

With the game tied at 2-2, Petaluma’s Lauren Wilson and Lily Pardini led off the sixth with a single and a double, respectively, to set the table for a big inning. Bella Hudson put down a squeeze bunt, MC (16-8) went for the out at home and didn’t get it, enabling Petaluma (17-8) to take the lead for good.

Dallas Young, the ensuing hitter, also attempted a bunt but a wild pitch allowed Petaluma to go in front 4-2. Kaylee Caselli also laid down a bunt and the runner was again safe at home for a 5-2 Petaluma lead.

“We try and throw rise balls in that [situation] because the girl is running home right away,” Albini said. “So if we can get the bunter to pop up, we can catch a pop up and maybe get a double play because she’s so far off the base by the time the girl makes contact. They executed it very well and we weren’t able to do that. We kept trying to get her at home when we should have been throwing to first.”

Things looked grim for MC with the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters leading off the bottom of the seventh. Vivian Partain drew a lead-off walk then Gonzalez singled past first base to bring leadoff hitter Morgan Carlson up as the tying run with no outs.

“Morgan Carlson has been carrying us all year,” Albini said. “In my opinion, she’s the best player in the league.”

Petaluma pitched to Carlson carefully, eventually issuing a walk to load the bases. Carlson reached base three times with a single and two walks. Carlson also scored two of MC’s three runs.

Anna Held came up next and crushed a ball into left field that was caught for a sacrifice fly, trimming the deficit to 5-3.

Ferrety then hit a ball that sliced away from first base and into foul territory but Caselli snared the ball for the second out. Selena Pena hit a ball into center field which was caught for the final out, ending MC’s season.

“They played better than us today,” Albini said. “I’m proud of our girls. They had a great season overall and to get to the MCAL championship game and play a really great game against San Marin – that was nice to see and a little bit unexpected.”

MC had been tied with San Rafael for fourth/fifth place in the MCAL standings but made a late-season push culminating with a win against Archie Williams that vaunted the Wildcats past the Peregrine Falcons for third place on a tiebreaker.

MC then made a strong run through the MCAL playoffs, defeating Tam, upsetting Redwood, then losing 2-1 against San Marin in the title game.

MC is only graduating one senior and has a couple of underclassmen in Foster (freshman) and Carlson (sophomore) who are already among the MCAL’s top players.

“We have a fair amount of girls coming in next year so we’re excited about that,” Albini said. “Today just wasn’t our day We knew Petaluma was a good team. Give them the credit. They outplayed us. They played hard.”

Held had two hits and two RBIs to pace MC offensively along with Carlson. Ferrety had the other RBI for MC.

Foster pitched a complete game, allowing six hits and four earned runs against three strikeouts. Petaluma starter Pardini limited MC to four hits.

“(Foster) was good to win today,” Albini said. “We just didn’t play well enough behind her and hit well enough.”