SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Infielder Francesca Guerrera hit 3-for-3 with three doubles and drove in her team's lone run, but St. Francis came up on the losing end of a 2-1 battle against Rosemont in the varsity half of a non-league prep softball doubleheader Friday. The Troubadours led for most of the contest before surrendering the equalizer in the sixth and the walk-off in the seventh.
St. Francis moves to 0-2 for the year.
Guerrera propelled her team to an immediate lead after Alexis McFarland led off the contest with a rip through the middle on the very first pitch. McFarland swiped second, then easily scored on Guerrera's two-bagger to straightaway center. Guerrera then stole third but was stranded in place when Rosemont third baseman Larissa Banks gloved Alex Garcia's line drive.
The SF shortstop doubled to right in the third and to left in the seventh, while reaching on a walk in the fifth to help load the bases, but was left in scoring position in each.
Meanwhile, freshman pitcher Reese Lewis was masterful in the first 5.2 innings, but ran into a jam in the sixth. She gave up singles to Mackenzie Salazar and Alaina Taeu, then walked second baseman Liliana Acosta to load the bases. However, a wild pitch pushed across the game-tying run to make it 1-1. Junior Alex Garcia took over the pitching circle and fanned Wolverine pinch hitter Lailah Cervantes to avoid any further damage.
Guerrera's double gave St. Francis a chance to retake the lead, and Kylee Garrett barreled a 1-2 pitch to center. But credit to Rosemont center fielder Ahlina Castro for making the play. This set the stage for the Wolverines in the bottom half. They loaded the bases for Banks, who delivered the walk-off, RBI single.
Both Troubie teams return home for a doubleheader against Rocklin on Tuesday. First pitch is 3:30 at each diamond.
UPDATE: St. Francis JV also lost to Rosemont by a 13-3 final... Shortstop Deanna Richardson hit 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Taylor Lewis, Lexi Salmons and Gianna Palmero each managed singles... The Troubies fell behind by 12-1 heading into the fifth and scored two runs in the top of that inning to hold off the run rule... However, the Wolverines managed back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fifth for the walk-off... This was the SF jayvees' season opener.
