By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
RIPON IN TITLE GAME
Extra inning win leads to section finals
Placeholder Image
STOCKTON — Ripon High Indians are back in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championships.They’ll face the winner of Marysville-Linden in today’s title game at the Arnaiz Softball Stadium.“Our goal all season was to return to the section finals,” said Ripon coach Robert Vernon.His team did just that but it took extra innings Friday against Marysville.In the 6-5 victory, Karla Calderon scored the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth inning when Hoku Lee’s sacrifice bunt try was botched for an error.Calderon led off that extra frame with a single, advancing into scoring position on Hana Lee’s bloop hit.“Karla is our No. 9 hitter but she’s very productive there with her speed,” Vernon said.The Indians (21-3) didn’t get there offense untracked until the fifth. A big reason for that was the pitching of Marysville’s Cassidy Clavelle, who had a 3-0 lead.Marysville scored runs in the first, third and fourth.“We knew we had to wait it out,” said Vernon, who was confident in his ace Danielle Sperry.Ripon finally broke through in the fifth, rallying for four runs to surge ahead.Felicia Ceja had the big hit, delivering a two-run triple.