Story by Benjamin Regan
Sports Editor
Photos by Rachel (Shin-Hye) Choi
Staff Photographer
Softball lost to the Temple City Rams 10-0 at home on Thursday, April 27th. Despite the lopsided loss, the Tigers celebrated senior night on the last game of the season and capped off a comeback year.
Before the game, softball commemorated four years of admirable play by seniors Allison Lee and Melina Becerra. The seniors on both teams exchanged flowers and took photos.
The game began and sophomore pitcher Natalie Kan started on the mound for the second consecutive game. In the first inning, the Rams etched across a run to claim an early lead.
The Tigers went quietly in the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the second, junior Daphne Maletesta singled but was left stranded.
Kan competed in her final start of the season before turning the ball over to freshman and team ERA leader Lucia Atencio in the fourth inning. Kan surrendered three runs to the Rams.
Sophomore Emma Becerra tried to spark a rally and bring life into the Tigers’ bats, hitting a single in the third inning. Becerra was left on base. The Rams’ pitcher, committed to The Ohio State University, completely silenced the Tigers’ typically-potent offensive attack.
In the top of the sixth inning, Temple City loaded the bases and all three runs were brought home on a bases-clearing double off of Atencio, extending the Rams’ lead to 10-0. The score would hold.
Despite a disappointing ending to the season that kept the Tigers on the outside looking in for CIF contention, South Pas showed significant improvements from last season. After the Tigers went winless in league in the 2022 season a year ago, South Pas won 4 league games this year including sweeping San Marino. Both captains, Becerra and Junior Danica Stirling will return to the team next year, along with starters rising sophomore Raquel Dominguez, rising senior Juliana Mostert, rising junior Annika Selsby, rising senior Maletesta, rising junior Kan, and rising sophomore Atencio will return to form next year’s core. The team looks to continue its improvement in the 2024 season and qualify for CIF.
