Softball dominates Blair 17-6 in last home game of season

By Jung Su Park

Sports Editor

Photos by Hana Tyszka

The Tigers concluded their last home game of the season with a sound win over the Blair Vikings 17-6 at home on Tuesday, May 10. This victory puts South Pasadena at 2-11 in league and 3-17 overall.

Seniors Jocelyn Arellano, Avery Douglas, Alex Mendez, and Sheridan Nansen started the match and immediately provided impact especially on the defensive end. Such an effort stifled the Viking offense and quickly shifted the game momentum on the Tigers’ favor. Nansen contributed to the cause by catching Blair fly balls and freshman Anna Riffle pitched well throughout the first three innings to minimize the opposing team’s scoring. While the home team thrived on defense, Blair faltered, especially in the first inning. Miscommunication and overthrows allowed South Pas to easily score eight points compared to Blair’s one in the opening period. The Tigers headed to the second inning with an 8-1 advantage.

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Blair showed signs of hope when South Pas defense started to crumble in the third inning. The Tigers committed similar errors to those of Blair in the beginning of the match and allowed the visiting squad to score five straight points. A comeback from a seven-point deficit seemed probable as Blair trailed South Pasadena at 8-6, however, once junior Adriana Ramirez came on to pitch the remainder of the game, the Tigers never looked back. Shrewd execution by Tiger hitters enlarged the gap between the two teams. Sophomore Emilia Anthony’s bunt was one notable highlight of such an offensive firepower. This strategy led to a grand slam, bringing in a total of four Tiger players home. South Pasadena outscored Blair 9-0 to finish off the match with a mercy, the surrender of a losing team to the winning team which leads by a score of 10 or more. Senior Night for the Tigers concluded on a high note as South Pasadena cruised past the Vikings 17-6 in only five innings.

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“The team will definitely miss the seniors’ positive attitudes, contributions to the team dynamic, and of course, leadership skills,” junior Emily Swanson said. “However, the team has promising underclassmen who bring a lot of potential to the table. We will get better as the younger players will receive more playing time in the upcoming season.”

The Tigers look to finish off the season strong with another dominant victory against Blair today on the Vikings’ home field.