Piedmont High School’s softball team got rolling, putting together a four-game winning streak and taking five out of seven games.
After a previously reported win over Acalanes, the Highlanders hammered host Tennyson on April 18, 16-1 in a game shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule. Kajsa Benson went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the way. She had two doubles on the day.
Samantha Ronen was 1-for-2 with three RBI and a run scored. Edie Elmquist and Eunice Kouadio each scored three runs while Miya Fujimoto, Hannah Joerger and Hailey Navarro each scored twice.
Elmquist went the distance, allowing one run on two hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. Piedmont scored seven in the first and six in the third to take control of the game.
On April 22, Piedmont beat Lick-Wilmerding by forfeit. The next day, the Highlanders defeated host Berkeley, 4-3. A three-run sixth was the difference-maker for Piedmont.
Trailing 2-1 entering the frame, the Highlanders got a leadoff single from Fujimoto, followed by a stolen base and an error moving her to third. One out later, Ronen hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score.
Joerger then doubled and courtesy runner Teah Suhr was singled in by Cyntiche Kouadio. A walk followed by a wild pitch moved Kouadio to third. She then scored on a passed ball.
Berkeley’s Camden Bernhard tripled in a run in the bottom of the seventh to cut it to 4-3, with the tying run on third. But Fujimoto got out of the jam by striking out Riley Pritchard to end it. Fujimoto pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run on four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Addison Davis took the loss, coming on in the sixth and allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Bernhard was 2-for-4 with the RBI and the run scored.
The winning streak ended the next day when visiting San Leandro beat Piedmont, 11-1. Marina Sacrey went the distance, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. Fujimoto took the loss, going the first three and allowing six runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Fujimoto went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Joerger had the RBI.
Julianna Morales went 1-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored to lead the Pirates.
On April 28, Piedmont beat visiting Hercules, 15-3 in a game shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule. Fujimoto went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored in addition to throwing a five-inning complete game. She allowed no earned runs and one hit with nine strikeouts and a walk.
Ronen was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Leela Sivakumar was 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. Samaya de Alba had the Titans only hit, along with an RBI and a run scored.
On May 1, the Highlanders lost at home to St. Mary’s, 10-9. Trailing by two entering the bottom of the seventh, Piedmont rallied when Fujimoto led off with a double. She stole third but was still there with two outs. Joerger then singled her in, putting the tying run on base. But courtesy runner Sikakumar was picked off to end the game.
The game was an offensive struggle early, with the Panthers leading 3-2 after one, and the Highlanders leading 5-4 after two. St. Mary’s took an 8-6 lead after the top of the fifth and the teams scored single runs in each half-inning thereafter.
Isabelle Koehn got the win for the Panthers, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing seven runs (three earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Meilani Abraham finished it off for the save, going 1 2/3 and allowing two runs (one earned) on no hits with six walks and one strikeout.
Fujimoto went the distance, allowing four earned runs on nine hits with 12 strikeouts and one walk. Joerger was 3-for-5 with two RBI. Fujimoto was 2-for-2 (both doubles) with three walks and four runs scored. Cyntiche Kouadio was 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Aoife Shen was 3-for-4 with three runs scored for St. Mary’s. Zoe Buckner was 2-for-3 with four runs scored and two RBI. London Crawford was 2-for-4 (a double and a triple) with three runs scored. Abigail Ambrose was 1-for-4 with two RBI.
Piedmont was scheduled to play Hayward on May 2. The Highlanders then host Salesian on May 6.