First, the good news:
No. 1-ranked Taft High increased its hit total by one in each of its games Friday in a softball tripleheader . . .
Now, the bad:
The Lady Tigers managed just one hit in the opener, two in the second game and three in the nightcap to turn a six-game winning streak to start the season into a three-game losing streak in a matter of mere hours.
“We played some very tough, big-hitting teams this morning.” said Taft coach Sandy Stuart, whose top-rated team battled two bigger California schools and another from Nevada in 80-degree weather. “We knew that we were coming down to face some tough competition, and our goals were to compete and learn from these games.”
Senior centerfielder Alyssa Tanksley managed Taft’s only hit in the opening game; sophomore catcher Hailee Dannecker collected both hits in the second; and senior third baseman Naomi Rini, Tanksley and Dannecker one each in the third in the Napa Softball Tournament.
Taft lost the opener 12-0 to host Petaluma, Calif.; the second 11-3 to Rancho Cotate, Calif.; and the third 11-1 to Douglas, Nev.
“The competition is very strong, and we are a young team,” Stuart said. “We struggled to push past some big hits and some costly errors, but we are getting there.”
Sophomore Emma Coulter walked just one, but suffered the opening-game loss for the Tigers as Petaluma jumped to a 3-0 first-inning lead.
“We were nervous and didn’t show the offensive strength we have had so far this preseason,” Stuart said, “They hit the ball well and their pitcher kept us on our toes the entire game.”
Kyla Knott scored twice for Taft, and fellow freshman Kayla Lininger once in the second game. Dannecker drove in two runs and freshman Claira Tolan one for the Tigers.
“We came out a little more relaxed and were able to put some runs on the board,” Stuart said. “We left some runners on base, which was disappointing, but we are here to learn and get better.”
Dannecker scored Taft’s only run in the night game
Taft (6-3, 0-0 Class 3A West Valley League) is scheduled to play Bishop O’ Doud of Oakland, Calif., at 8 a.m. Saturday, followed by a game against Franklin, Calif., High at 9:30 a.m.
“Going forward we need to remember to build on our strengths and work on our weaknesses,” Stuart said. “We are trying to get all of our younger players learning what it takes to win ball games and be competitive. As we grow together and mature we are going to be a strong team.”
Petaluma 12, Taft 0
PETALUMA AB R H BI
Rachael Bless 4 2 4 1
Mandy O’Keefe 3 0 2 2
Kaileigh Pate 1 2 1 0
Indya Smith 3 0 2 3
Emma Weiland 3 1 0 0
Logan Pomi 1 0 0 0
Chandler Mevis 4 1 1 1
Kaleigh Weiland 3 2 2 0
Grace Ghiradelli 3 1 1 0
Brooke Symons 3 2 2 0
Maddie King 1 1 0 0
Mia Parani 0 0 0 1
TOTALS 29 12 15 8
TAFT AB R H BI
Kyla Knott 2 0 0 0
Hailee Dannecker 1 0 0 0
Naomi Rini 2 0 0 0
Emma Coulter 2 0 0 0
Emma Coulter 2 0 0 0
Alyssa Tanksley 2 0 1 0
Claira Tolan 1 0 0 0
Makena Cole 1 0 0 0
Kayla Lininger 1 0 0 0
Madison Clanton 1 0 0 0
TOTALS 13 0 1 0
PETALUMA 305 40 — 12
TAFT 000 0x — 0
LOB—PETALUMA 8, TAFT 2. ERR–Naomi Rini (2), Caitlyn Rundstrom, Kayla Lininger, Madison Clanton, Claira Tolan. 2B–Indya Smith, Kaleigh Weiland (2), Mandy O’Keefe, Rachael Bless. HBP–Indya Smith, Hailee
Dannecker. SACF–Mia Parani. SB–Brooke Symons.
PETALUMA IP H R ER BB SO HR
Mandy O’Keefe 4.00 1 0 0 0 5 0
TAFT
Emma Coulter 4.00 15 12 6 1 2 0
PB–Emma Weiland, Hailee Dannecker. WP–Emma Coulter.
Rancho Cotate 11, Taft 3
TAFT AB R H BI
Kyla Knott 1 2 0 0
Hailee Dannecker 3 0 2 2
Naomi Rini 2 0 0 0
Emma Coulter 3 0 0 0
Alyssa Tanksley 2 0 0 0
Claira Tolan 2 0 0 1
Makena Cole 2 0 0 0
McKenzie Evenson 1 0 0 0
Kayla Lininger 1 1 0 0
Madison Clanton 2 0 0 0
TOTALS 19 3 2 3
RANCHO COTATE AB R H BI
C Nixon 3 3 1 1
T Maytorena 3 2 2 2
M Barnes 2 1 0 1
K Drake 3 0 2 3
J Sola 2 0 0 0
N Akin 1 0 1 0
M Milsap 2 0 0 0
F Cincera 2 1 1 1
C Haugen 2 2 2 1
I Luevano 2 1 0 0
*P Cincera 0 1 0 0
TOTALS 22 11 9 9
TAFT 110 10 — 3
RANCHO COTATE 240 5x –- 11
LOB–TAFT 9, RANCHO COTATE 4. ERR–Naomi Rini Kayla Lininger, C Haugen, K Drake, S Bedoka. 2B–Hailee Dannecker(2). 3B–T Maytorena 2). HBP–Kayla Lininger. SACF–F Cincera. SACB—I Luevano. SB–Alyssa Tanksley, C Nixon.
TAFT IP H R ER BB SO HR
Kayla Lininger 2.00 6 6 5 0 1 0
Emma Coulter 2.00 3 5 3 3 0 0
RANCHO COTATE
K Drake 4.00 2 3 1 5 7 0
I Luevano 0.67 0 0 0 1 1 0
PB–Hailee Dannecker. WP–Kayla Lininger (2), Emma Coulter. BB–Naomi Rini, Kyla Knott (2), Kayla Lininger, Alyssa Tanksley, Claira Tolan, M Barnes, C Haugen, M Milsap.
Douglas 11, Taft 1
DOUGLAS AB R H BI
Mackenzie Brixey 3 1 2 1
Ivy Barnes 1 0 0 0
Jasmine McNinch 3 1 0 0
Haley Doughty 2 1 0 0
Alyssa Smokey 2 1 2 1
Grace Nichols 1 0 0 0
Casey Peck 2 1 1 2
Kendal Moore 1 1 0 0
Bailey Walter 3 2 0 0
Chloie Pratt 2 2 2 0
Amanda Hoffman 1 1 1 4
Kettja Bennett 3 0 1 1
TOTALS 24 11 9 9
TAFT AB R H BI
Kyla Knott 2 0 0 0
Hailee Dannecker 2 1 1 0
Alyssa Tanksley 2 0 0 0
Emma Coulter 2 0 1 0
Naomi Rini 2 0 1 0
Claira Tolan 2 0 0 0
McKenzie Evenson 1 0 0 0
Caitlyn Rundstrom 1 0 0 0
Madison Clanton 1 0 0 0
TOTALS 15 1 3 0
DOUGLAS 621 20 — 11
TAFT 100 0x — 1
LOB–DOUGLAS 5, TAFT 2. ERR–Amanda Hoffman (2), Caitlyn Rundstrom, Kayla Lininger, Claira Tolan (2), McKenzie Evenson. 2B–Amanda Hoffman, Mackenzie rixey. 3B–Alyssa Smokey. SACF–Amanda Hoffman. SB–Mackenzie
Brixey, Jasmine McNinch (2).
DOUGLAS IP H R ER BB SO HR
Kettja Bennett 4.00 3 1 0 0 5 0
TAFT
Emma Coulter 4.00 9 11 6 3 3 0
WP–Kettja Bennett, Emma Coulter. BB–AmandaHoffman, Chloie Pratt, Haley Doughty.
