The Wilcox Chargers advanced to the third round of CCS Playoffs by beating the Los Gatos Wildcats 11-1, in five innings and the Los Altos Eagles 12-7 in 11 innings. Junior Amanda Ramirez was the only pitcher needed to secure both of the victories.
The Lady Chargers started the quest for their second CCS title in school history on May 21. Facing the Wildcats from Los Gatos, Wilcox’s offense dominated early and would do so for the remainder of the game. In five innings, the Chargers scored 11 runs and Ramirez allowed only one run in those innings. Junior Margan Ratliff had an incredible game, going 3 for 3 with a double and triple. The Chargers won by enforcing the run-rule on the Wildcats.
On May 24, the Chargers took the field on the hot, Saturday afternoon against their conference opponent, the Eagles from Los Altos High School.
“I am excited for this game,” head coach Laura Stott said. “I am confident because I know the girls really want it. We are playing Los Altos who we lost to both times in league… I know the girls are pumped. I know they are excited.”
The Eagles drew first blood in the bottom of the second after the opposing pitcher shut out the Chargers’ offense in the first two innings. However, Wilcox bounced back in the top of the third when starting pitcher Ramirez tripled to the right-center gap, scoring senior Kayla Fletcher, Ratliff, and junior Breanna Ledesma. The Chargers took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third.
After Wilcox scored two runs in the top of the fifth, Los Altos scored four in the sixth, putting the Chargers down by one going into the top of the seventh inning. With their season on the line, Stott reminded her team that “This was their season and they needed to fight for it.” They did just that. With two outs, Ramirez hit her third triple of the game and scored on an RBI single by junior Hailey Thompson. Wilcox tied Los Altos 6-6 and headed into extra innings.
It became a pitchers’ duel for the next three innings where neither pitcher allowed a run. At the top of the eleventh, the international tiebreaker was enforced, where the last out of the previous inning was put at second base. After a sac bunt by Ledesma and walk to Ramirez, junior Katie Stensrud came up with the clutch triple that would score both runners, putting the Chargers ahead. After senior Rosa De La Santos reached on an error, Fletcher and senior Cori Aggarwal hit back-to-back, inside-the-park homeruns. The Eagles scored one run in the bottom of the eleventh, but it was the offensive rally in the top of the inning that would clinch the game for the Chargers. “It was just one of those feelings where you get super nervous,” Aggarwal said. “But it’s that pressure that makes you do these things which makes us win.”
The Lady Chargers will play first ranked Carlmont in the Semi-Finals on Wednesday, May 28 at 4:30 p.m.
