West Ranch softball’s historic playoff win on Thursday was anything but uneventful.
The Wildcats won the Division 5 playoff opener, 18-10, over the hosting Duarte Falcons after several drastic lead changes.
West Ranch (13-12) opened with two consecutive big innings, taking a 7-0 lead early.
Duarte (15-6-1) answered back with a devastating nine-run inning blow in the third.
The Cats trailed heading into the sixth before the bats reignited and blew the doors off the Falcons. West Ranch piled in five runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings to give the program its first postseason win in five seasons.
Senior Krista Viereck and sophomore Payton Borland both notched three hits, including one triple each, for the Wildcats. Cal Baptist commit Savannah Gatewood also added a pair of triples and 2 RBIs for West Ranch.
Senior Jovanna Ross brought in a game-high four runs off two hits, while also leading the way from the circle.
Ross entered in relief in the third against a Duarte team that had already hung up 10 runs. Ross wasn’t shaken and threw 4.1 hitless and scoreless innings to secure the win.
West Ranch will now earn another feat for the first time in five years, hosting a playoff game. The Wildcats will welcome the Palos Verdes Sea Kings to Stevenson Ranch for a second-round matchup.
Palos Verdes is the Bay League runner-up, boasting four hitters batting over .320 this season. The Wildcats’ pitching will again be tested but if the bats stay hot, West Ranch could be on its way to the quarterfinals.
West Ranch hosts Palos Verdes on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
