East Union’s Ragan Fowzer ignited a four-run, two-out rally in the fifth inning Friday with a pinpoint bunt to break open a tie game on the way to a 6-2 win over visiting Central Catholic of Modesto in Valley Oak League softball action on Glavine Field at the Northgate Softball Complex.
“We found ourselves down today and that’s not a very good place to be,” Lancers coach Brian Goulart said. “We made adjustments because early on we were striking out too much.
“Ragan bunting that one on the ground to start the rally along with her great base running was a huge deal.”
Hitting out of the No. 9 hole, Fowzer found the Raiders defense napping when she beat out the bunt in the fifth. She stole second, and then on a single by Izabella Owen (2 for 4, RBI) she slid under the tag at home to give East Union (3-0 VOL, 11-1) a 2-1 lead.
“I was just trying to score,” Fowzer said. “On my slide the ball was right there so I slid right in there.”
Danyelle Godoy (2 for 4, double, run) doubled to move Owen to third and Alexis Erich walked to load the bases, setting the table for Kristina Mojica who did not disappoint. Mojica laced a 1-0 offering to center field to plate Owen and Godoy and Allie Tajii (RBI, run) capped the rally with an infield single to score Erich for a 5-1 Lancers lead.
“I just wanted to do what I could for the team,” Mojica said. “I didn’t want to think about it so I just wanted to relax.”
Following a home run by Central Catholic (2-2, 10-3) in the top of the sixth, Shelby Cefalu answered back for East Union in the bottom of the inning with a yard shot of her own over the right-center field fence with the Central Catholic right fielder chasing the ball out of the park for a 6-2 Lancers lead.
“It was good,” Cefalu said. “I have been struggling for a while and finally decided to keep my head down and make some magic happen.
Mikayla Bongi went the distance in the circle for East Union, sprinkling six hits over the seven innings while striking out 14 including striking out the side three times.
This was the first Cancer Awareness game of the season for the Lancers.
“We honored Glenda Herrera, long-time East Union mom,” Goulart said. “Her boys all went to EU and she is a cancer survivor who is very dear to the EU family.
“She came out and threw the first pitch right down the middle and it was so cool.”