The Varsity Softball Dons took Monday’s game in dramatic fashion with a 7-6 walk-off victory over the Piedmont Highlanders.  The Dons were down one going into the final inning, but were able to shut down the Highlanders in the top half, and then dramatically score two runs for the win when Santana Tamayo singled to bring in Lulu Levy for the win and begin the celebration. 

Piedmont opened the scoring in the top of the first scoring 2 runs. They got their first two runners on and then hit a sharp ground ball to Riley Zirkel at Shortstop, who made a great play to get the lead runner out at third base.   Then a heads up play by Catcher Esa Orman who picked up a ball that was initially called foul and tagged the batter.   The umpires reversed the call and called the batter out.  Unfortunately, 2 runs were still able to come across, but starting pitcher Lana Cerejo got the last out of the inning on a big strikeout while there were still runners on second and third. 

The Dons immediately got back in the bottom half of the first.  Emme Young got things started with a walk, followed by a line drive single by Avery Robb.   Orman then hit a hard ground ball to short that was bobbled by the shortstop and threw it away to score both Young and Robb to tie the game 2-2.   Later in the inning, Maya Shoenhair drew a walk, while Cerejo was hit by a pitch to load the bases.   A wild pitch would score Levy from third and the Dons would take a 3-2 lead into the second inning. 

The Highlander came right back in the top of the second inning to score 2 more runs to snatch back the lead in the game 4-3.   Lauren Foster then led off the second inning for the Dons with a walk.  Foster was forced out at second, on a ground ball from Young.   Young was able to advance to second on a wild pitch and then stole third base to set up Orman, who singled to right to score Young and tie the game 4-4 after two innings.  

While up to this point, the game was a high scoring affair, the game turned into a pitching duel from this point on in the game.   Shoenhair came in to pitch for the Dons in the third inning, and struck out the side swinging, only needing 12 pitches.   Shoenhair would end up pitching five innings in relief, giving up just one hit and striking out seven.    

The score was 6-4 going to the bottom half of the 5th inning, when Orman scorched a ball down the third base line to lead off the inning and get all the way to third for a huge triple.   Shoenhair was then able to get the run home on a groundball to short to make it 6-5, which would be the score as the game went into the last inning.   

In the top half of the seventh, the Dons quickly got three outs with a ground ball to short that Zirkel fielded and threw to Ella Greenfield at first for the first out.  Then two consecutive ground balls that were scooped up by Robb who threw over to Greenfield for outs number 2 and 3.   This would set up what the Dons needed to do in the bottom half of the seventh inning.   They needed 2 runs to win the game.  

Fortunately for the Dons, Young was leading off to get things going.   She hit a ground ball and reached on an error by the first baseman, which would prove to be a critical mistake as Young quickly stole second base and third base to get the tying run at third and the winning run to the plate.  Orman hit a ground ball to third and Young did not hesitate sprinting home and flying by the catcher sliding headfirst to tie the game!  

Up came Tamayo, who had been struggling a bit all game at the plate, but strolled to the plate with all the confidence in the world.  Levy, who came in to pinch run for Orman quickly moved over to third on a wild pitch.  And then after working a 3-1 count, Tamayo smashed a single up the middle to bring in Levy and the bench emptied as the Dons celebrated the huge walk off win! 

The next home game for the Dons is Monday, the 22nd against Monte Vista at 4:00. Come out and cheer on the team.