Friday, September 26, 2008

By RICHARD T. ESTRADA
restrada@modbee.com

last updated: May 17, 2008 02:01:55 AM

STOCKTON -- With the potential go-ahead run on third base, Orestimba High catcher Cara Collison didn't hesitate when she noticed a runner straying off first base.

"She was just standing there, like she wanted me to throw it," she said. "With two out, the inning's over if we get her."

Orestimba got the out, even if it was in an unconventional manner, and then scored in the bottom of the inning on its way to a 1-0 win over West Side rival Hilmar.

Friday's win sends Orestimba (26-3) into today's Sac-Joaquin Section Division V final against Linden (24-4) at noon at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton. Orestimba beat Linden 3-1 on Wednesday.

Linden beat Hilmar 2-1 in the losers' bracket final on a controversial, game-ending call that let the winning run walk home.

With the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh, the home-plate umpire called Hilmar's Courtney Ramos for an illegal pitch -- and awarded home plate to the runner on third base.

Hilmar coach Paul Willis was furious and in the umpire's face, but not because he disagreed that Ramos had made a mistake.

"The third-base coach yelled, 'Timeout! Timeout!' " said Willis, noting an umpire was beside the coach. "Courtney kept hearing a timeout call, so she backed off."

Willis asked the base umpire to rule Ramos was intentionally deceived, a violation of prep softball rules, but the home-plate umpire refused to hear his protest.

After stepping forward and putting his chest against Willis, the home-plate umpire grinned and chuckled loudly as he walked off the field -- with Hilmar's girls sprawled on the infield in tears.

"No way to end this game, not on a call like that," Willis said. "I've never seen Courtney called for an illegal pitch. She's a pro."

It was the second stunner in as many games for the Yellowjackets (19-7), who allowed only three hits in their loss to Orestimba.

Hilmar had runners on the corners with two outs in the fifth when Collison fired a throw to first that hit off Lacey Kohl's glove. That was all the opportunity the runner on third needed to dash home, but Kohl scooped up the ball and threw a strike back to Collision, who said she blocked the plate.

"If we don't get that out, I know my coach is going to ask why I made the throw," said Collison, whose aggressiveness has paid off frequently this season. "One run means everything in a game like this, so it was a huge play."

Collison wasn't done, either, as she opened the bottom of the fifth with a towering fly to the warning track in left-center. The two fielders chasing the ball collided as it arrived, and Collison didn't stop until she was at third.

"She was pitching me outside, so I was right on top of the plate ready for it," Collison said. "As I got to second, I saw the two girls on the ground and kept going."

The extra base proved crucial, as it allowed Kara Spinelli to try and put down a bunt to score the run. Spinelli missed it, however, and pinch runner Tiffany Nooe was caught off third base, drawing a throw from the catcher.

The high throw sailed into left field and Nooe sprinted home.

It was up to Spinelli after that and Orestimba's ace, headed to Mercy College (Detroit) on a scholarship, made sure one run was enough.

She retired 17 of the final 18 batters, after allowing three hits in the first two innings. Hilmar had just one hit over the final five.

"It's my fault because I wasn't ready," said Spinelli, who no-hit Hilmar twice in the regular season. "I was too relaxed, but those first two innings got me going."

The win means Orestimba will have to lose twice to be denied a second title. That's a huge advantage, coach Kasey Cooper said.

"My pitcher and all my players get rest and get a good night's sleep," said Cooper, whose club routed Patterson 10-0 in last year's title game under similar circumstances. "We'll face a girl who will have thrown twice (Friday), and that's a lot of pitches."

LINDEN 2, ESCALON 1 -- Amanda Sanders' triple sparked a two-run fourth and Audrianna Solari struck out 10 as the Lions ended the Cougars' year.

Brianna Wray and Megan Davey followed Sanders' triple with RBI singles in the fourth, but Escalon made it 2-1 on Rachel Frasier's fifth-inning single. The Cougars (18-10) had two runners on later in the inning, but Casey Schmidig flied out to right to end the fifth.

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