Host Acalanes High School scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Piedmont, 7-6 on April 15 in the Highlanders return to action after spring break.
Santana Tamayo singled in Esa Orman with the winning run for the Dons. Orman had knocked in Emme Young with the tying run by grounding into a fielder’s choice.
Piedmont jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Caitlin Boothby and Sophena Tuli each drew bases-loaded walks for the runs.
However, Acalanes answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Avery Robb singled in one run and Orman reached on an error while the second run scored. Lulu Levy later scored on a wild pitch.
The Highlanders came right back to retake the lead in the second. Cyntiche Kouadio and Miya Fujimoto each scored on errors on consecutive plays.
Young scored the tying run for Acalanes in the bottom of the second on a passed ball.
The game settled down at that point. Samantha Ronen broke the tie in the fourth, knocking in two with a double for Piedmont. The Dons got a run back in the fifth when Orman scored on an error. The score stayed 6-5 until the bottom of the seventh.
Ronen finished 2-for-4 to lead the Highlanders offense. Fujimoto and Angelina Wu had singles as Piedmont was held to four hits by Acalanes pitchers Lana Cerejo and Maya Schoenhair. The latter drew the win, going the final five innings and allowing two runs on one hit with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Fujimoto went the distance for the Highlanders, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing three hits, just one earned run and striking out 10. She also walked four.
On April 3, Piedmont lost at Encinal, 13-2, in a game shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule. Fujimoto and Ronen had the only two hits for the Highlanders on the day. Fujimoto singled in a run for Piedmont in the fourth and later scored on a passed ball.
Fujimoto also took the loss on the mound, going the distance and allowing seven earned runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Tamyrah Jamison went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI for the Jets. Jazzy Alcantar was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Clarissa Jackson drove in three runs including two on a double. Kiely Wong tripled in a run.
Piedmont (6-4) next hosts Hayward on April 17.