Analy tops Sonoma in battle for SCL title

The Sonoma Valley High softball team had an opportunity Thursday to win the Sonoma County League regular season title.

A win would have created a three-way tie among Sonoma, Petaluma and Analy, and Sonoma would have won the tie-breaker by reason of a draw prior to the season starting.

But the Lady Dragons managed only two hits and dropped a 4-1 decision to Analy.

Sonoma pitcher Jenna Ebert and Tiger pitcher Carson Rasmussen were matched up in a pitchers’ duel.

Analy pushed a run across in the top of the second on a base hit and a double to take a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Tigers threatened when, after two were out, two batters singled giving the Tigers runners on first and second. But Ebert got the next batter to fly out to left.

The Dragons tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Kaliyah Hensic powered a home run over the right-center field fence, and the game was knotted at 1-1.

Analy took the lead for good in the top of the fifth when their leadoff batter reached on an error. A walk and a single loaded the bases for Rasmussen who singled, knocking in one run. But Ebert got the next two batters to end the threat.

The Tigers added two more runs in the top of the sixth on a single, a ground-rule double and a wild pitch. And the Tigers led 4-1.

Sonoma couldn’t get anything going in their half of the sixth, and the Lady Dragons were running out of outs. They had a runner reach second in the seventh, but couldn’t plate her and they fell 4-1. And instead of a first-place finish, the Lady Dragons found themselves in third place.

“Analy’s good, but I still believe they’re beatable,” said Coach Keeley Ray. “Our problem was we were being too aggressive in the box and swinging at the first pitch. We seem to get tense and try to do too much in the box instead of staying relaxed and hitting like we know how.”

The Lady Dragons will face Petaluma at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Analy in the SCL tourney. The winner of Wednesday’s game faces the winner of Tuesday’s Analy-Piner game for the championship at 4 p.m. Thursday, at Analy.