The Dons traveled last Thursday out to Walnut Creek to battle the Broncos of Northgate for a game between the top two teams in the league.  In the first game, it was tightly contested with a 2-1 score going into the last inning and this game would be the same.  Emme Young collected four hits in five at bats to lead the Varsity Softball team to a huge 6-5 win to take a share of the league lead in the standings with both teams now at 5-1 in league play. 

The Dons built a 4-run lead in the second inning and then held off a Broncos comeback to snatch the win.  Young singled in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings to continually put pressure on the Broncos and would also score a team leading 2 runs.   

Young got the Dons on the board in the top of the first inning after Maya Shoenhair singled up the middle, and then Ella Greenfield hit into a fielder’s choice to bring in Avery Robb and put 2 runs on the board to start off the game.  

Shoenhair opened the game as the starting pitcher for the Dons in the circle and quickly dispatched the Broncos in the bottom of the first with a strikeout, popup to catcher Esa Orman, followed by a double, but then a ground ball to Greenfield at first for the final out of the inning making it 2-0 at the end of the first.  Shoenhair pitched a complete 7 inning game, holding the powerful Broncos to 5 runs (3 earned), striking out 2 and walking 2.  

Some great base running got the Dons two more runs in the top of the second.  Lauren Foster walked, followed by a single from Young.  Then Robb walked to load the bases and bring up the heart of the lineup.  Santana Tamayo walked, and then there was a passed ball on which Foster streaked home to get a run.   Just a few pitches later, Young dashed home on a wild pitch to make it 4-0 Dons.  

The Broncos battled back to eventually tie the game and after 4 innings it was 4-4, but there was nothing going to stop the Dons on this day.   Gabby Huerta got a 2-out rally going in the top of the 5th with a hard single to left.  Lulu Levy and Foster then walked to load the bases for Young, who came through again on a single to left field to score one run.  Robb then singled to score Vanessa Choi and take back the lead 6-4.  

As was the case throughout this series between these two teams, it was far from over.   The Broncos scratched a run back in the bottom half of the fifth inning to make it 6-5.  To the bottom of the 6th inning, the Broncos led off with a walk, but then Shoenhair was able to induce two ground balls back to the pitcher, and she fired the ball to shortstop Riley Zirkel who made a series of incredible plays.  On the first one, Zirkel almost turned a double play, and on the second one, was able to handle a difficult short hop to get the force out and on the final batter of the inning, deftly scooped up a ground ball and threw a laser to first for the final out of the inning.  

On to the bottom of the seventh, all the Dons needed was three outs.  Easier said than done as the Broncos had their 2, 3, 4 hitters coming up.   On a 2-2 count to the leadoff hitter, a deep fly ball to left field was tracked down by Choi for a spectacular out number one.   Then a deep fly ball to centerfield was chased down by Young who made a running catch on the warning track for out number 2.   Just need one more out.   A single to right, followed by a walk led to the final play of the game, a ground ball to Robb at second who flipped it to Zirkel for the final out of the game and unleashed a huge celebration on the field.   

It is Senior Day this Tuesday as the Dons host Miramonte.  Please come out and support, festivities start at 4:00 with the first pitch at 4:30