Feeling a little under the weather, Valencia pitcher Shea O’Leary didn’t let the flu get the best of her on Tuesday against Golden Valley.
Pitching a complete-game shutout, O’Leary walked off the mound to strike out the last two batters she faced in a 1-0 win over Golden Valley at Valencia on senior night clinching the Foothill League title.
“Going out there those first couple innings, I was a little down on myself because I wasn’t really feeling it,” O’Leary said.
“…But my team scored that run and I just went out there, knowing that I had to push for it, especially in the senior game I really wanted to win so I just went out there and did my best.”
Allowing three hits and logging eight strikeouts and two walks, O’Leary kept Valencia (23-7 overall, 9-0 in Foothill League) from falling to the second-place Grizzlies.
In a bit of a pitcher’s duel with Grizzlies’ Cassidy Cangemi, who ended the game with six strikeouts of her own, the game was tied heading into the third inning.
Retiring the first two batters, Cangemi looked like she was going to get out of the inning with ease. But things didn’t go as planned.
The next batter, Alexis Genovese, who went 2-for-4 on the night, reached second base with ease as the Grizzlies’ center fielder and right fielder collided on a routine pop up.
Next up was Emma Bramson, who hit a single to bring in Genovese from second to put the Vikings ahead.
“There were two outs and a runner on,” Bramson said. “…I just thought, ‘get it done’ because it was 0-0 and I wanted to get Shea ahead.”
O’Leary was thankful that her teammate and friend had her back.
“She’s amazing and she’s one of my best friends on the team,” she said. “She’s worked so hard to get to the position to where she’s at now. And I’m so proud with that run because that was the only run of the game and I’m just so proud of her.”
Bramson finished the game 3-for-4 with three singles and the game’s only RBI.
With the loss, Golden Valley (18-4, 6-3) remains in second place in the Foothill League with their final game against Hart at Golden Valley on Thursday.
Valencia remains undefeated in league play and atop the Foothill league with two more road games remaining. They travel two West Ranch tomorrow and face off against Canyon at Canyon on Thursday.
West Ranch 8, Canyon 1
West Ranch’s Gianna Lombardi went 4-for-4 on the day with a three-run home run in the first inning to put the Wildcats up for good.
Kailey Bevan, Lauryn Bos and Jenna Rorick all recorded an RBI with Makanna Harper ending the night with two. Rorick also got the win, pitching a complete game striking out six.
Saugus 12, Hart 2
Makayla Lopez hit a two-run home run in the Cents, 12-2 win over the Indians on Tuesday. Leslie Reynaga pitched a complete game giving up two runs on six hits while striking out nine in the process.
