High school softball roundup: Montgomery blanks Cardinal Newman

Ana Zoia-Buescher pitched her best game of the season Thursday as Montgomery's softball team defeated visiting Cardinal Newman 7-0 to remain in contention for the NBL title.

The Vikings are 8-2 in league and trail only Rancho (10-0). Those schools meet next Thursday on the Cougars' field.

Zoia-Buescher tossed a two-hitter and her defense played error-free.

“I thought it was her best game of the season,” coach Mike Malvino said of the sophomore. “She was especially good against the bottom half of the Newman lineup. The hitters at the top of the lineup didn't have runners on base when they came to the plate.”

Zoia-Buescher deflected the praise away from herself.

“The team makes me look good,” she said. “I know they always have my back and that gives me confidence.

“My fastball and changeup were working and our catcher (Sierra Shanoff) called a great game.”

Shanoff knocked in the only two runs Montgomery would need in the first inning. After Jen Warner and Ashley Baker got on with hits, Shanoff's single scored both of them.

The Vikings put the game away in the fifth. Olivia Gabriel and Jaxen Brazell each hit doubles and knocked in two runs.

Alyssa Coronado hit a home run in the second.

The only hits Zoia-Buescher allowed were a double by Isabelle Vreeland and a single by Sarah Knight. Lexie Raasch was the losing pitcher.

Newman coach Bill Vreeland was impressed with Zoia-Buescher.

“She did a good job of controlling our hitters,” he said. “It was not our finest moment and I tip my hat to the Montgomery players.”

Montgomery is 15-5 overall while the Cardinals are 11-8 and 6-4.

In other games:

RANCHO COTATE 13, SANTA ROSA 2

At Santa Rosa, Taylor Del Santo belted her eighth home run of the season as the Cougars won their 12th straight.

Rancho collected 16 hits and scored in all five innings before the game was called.

“We really hit the ball hard,” coach Tracey Poueu-Guerrero said. “The girls seem to be seeing the ball well and driving everything they hit.”

Katie Rohrer also hit a homer, giving Rancho 28 through 17 games.

Reilani Peleti had a double and triple among her four hits.

Winning pitcher KT Hager limited the Panthers to five hits, two of those by Megan Fassold.

Rancho Cotate is 13-4 and 10-0. Santa Rosa is 3-10 and 2-8.

UKIAH 3, CASA GRANDE 2 (9)

At Ukiah, Kayla Pardini's two-run homer won the game for the Wildcats.

After the Gauchos took a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth, Mykala Ramsey drew a walk for the home team. That was followed by Pardini's shot over the right-center field fence.

“The fence is 200 feet and Pardini's ball cleared it by at least 20 feet,” coach Gary Venturi said.

Becky Pedersen pitched a complete game for the win. The sophomore struck out seven.

Pedersen had two hits and a double. Pardini and Delaney Kindopp finished with three hits apiece.

For the Gauchos, Alauna Rico had a pair of hits.

Ukiah is playing its best ball of the season and has won 5 of 7. The Wildcats are 8-11 and 3-7.

MARIA CARRILLO 4, WINDSOR 1

At Windsor, Lily Maksim pitched her team to the win and teammates Whitney Shanafelt and Bethany Devault had two hits apiece.

The Pumas scored single runs in the first and second innings and added two more in the seventh.

Windsor was led by Shay Mendoza and Kayla Scott with two hits each.

ANALY 20, SONOMA VALLEY 0

At Sonoma Valley, the Tigers banged out 17 hits and were helped by 16 Dragons errors.

Enjoying two-hit games for Analy were: Mckenzie Evangelisti (3 RBIs), Kayla Ming (3 RBIs) and Payton Cords (4 RBIs).

Analy is 8-1 in the SCL and 17-4 overall.

“They're up there in the league standings for a reason,” Dragons coach Scott Merrill said. “They've got hitters up and down the line-up. Still, that's no excuse for all those errors.”

Sonoma is 5-3 and 12-7.

PETALUMA 10, HEALDSBURG 0

At Petaluma, Ava Chabot did it all as the Trojans won the five-inning game.

The freshman pitched a complete game and hit a home run while collecting three RBIs.

Grace Ghirardelli also hit a home run and went 3 for 4. Emily O'Keefe had a single and double.

Ghirardelli hit her homer during a five-run third. Chabot's two-run shot came in the second.

Petaluma, at 8-1, remains tied with Analy in league. Overall, the Trojans are 11-8.