Tara Crawford went 2-for-3 with a homer and Cady Haskell battled hard in the circle, but the San Marcos softball team dropped a 13-3 mercy-rule decision at Ventura Tuesday.
“Cady came up huge for us and gave a gutty performance. I wish we could’ve played better defense for her,” said coach Alex Sheldon.
The Royals almost picked up a triple play in the bottom of the sixth, but it turned into nothing more than a brain-teaser in which Sheldon said the umpires changed their minds more than once and San Marcos’ players had to go back out on the field after assuming the frame was over.
Sure enough, the next Ventura batter knocked in a run with a line drive to end the game.
Kelly McKay hit a solo homer to complement Crawford’s two-run dinger to account for all of San Marcos’ scoring.
The Royals will honor their seven seniors in Thursday’s season finale — a home game against the Cougars.
VENTURA 13, SAN MARCOS 3, 6 inn.
San Marcos…200 001 — 3 4 5
Ventura…214 033 X — 13 15 0
Haskell and Flattery; Snyder and Bernard. LP — Haskell (1-3).
3B — V: Snyder. HR — SM: Crawford (1st, one on), McKay (6th, Solo); V: Hicks (3rd, one on).
Team records — SM 7-13, 2-9; V 6-4 Channel League.
