- The Bears improved to 5-1 to begin the season.
- Bears senior Annalise Ramirez pitched a complete game shutout.
- Ramirez batted in five runs on three hits.
The Merced High softball team hosted Central Valley High on Tuesday as the Bears looked to continue their strong start to the season. The Bears entered the matchup with a 4–1 record, while Central Valley came in at 1–3 in preseason play.
The Bears opened the game with a strong first inning, shutting down the Hawks despite Reylena Herrera blasting a shot to center field that Bree Pimentel tracked down for the out. In the bottom of the inning, Macey Saucedo reached on a bunt and stole second before being thrown out by a Hawk. Shortly after, Annalise Ramirez hit a home run, giving Merced a 1-0 lead.
The offense picked up during the third inning for Merced. Macey Saucedo singled to start the inning, followed by Antonia Lejarde reaching base. With runners in scoring position, Annalise Ramirez delivered a single along the left foul line, driving in both Saucedo and Lejarde to give the Bears a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Macey Saucedo hit a double near the right foul line and Antonia Lejarde followed with a single, advancing to second on the throw. With runners in scoring position, once again, Annalise Ramirez drove in both Saucedo and Lejarde for her fourth and fifth RBI of the game. Later, Aliyah Solis got on base, and Madison Cabral hit a single along the left foul line, sending Solis home for another run. The inning ended when Ava Waldron hit a fly ball out to right field, leaving Merced ahead 6-0.
Merced’s pitcher Annalise Ramirez continued to dominate the Central Valley lineup through the final three innings, keeping them scoreless and earning a complete game shutout. Ramirez struck out nine total batters and held the Hawks’ hitters to four total hits. Ramirez also batted 3-3, including a double and home run, with five RBIs, and two runs scored. The game ended with Merced winning 6-0.
Senior Bree Pimentel reflected on the Bears’ performance saying, “We’re trying to work on hitting it hard a bit sooner and making sure we’re able to put some points on the board with the first inning rather than waiting for the second. The first time around, just hit hard. That’s it, really.” Looking ahead, she said they hope to “win CCC, just like last year, and hopefully make it to the section playoffs.”
With the win, Merced improved to 5-1 on the season, while Central Valley fell to 1-4. The Bears will look to continue their strong start when they host the Le Grand Bulldogs on March 16 at 3:30 p.m., while Central Valley will aim to bounce back against the Atwater Falcons on March 12 at 4:00 p.m.
- Photos by Grace Gallegos. ↩︎
