Submitted photos – The Fortuna Huskies on their way to Fort Bragg on Friday.
The Fortuna girls traveled to Fort Bragg on Friday for an early-season softball doubleheader and split a pair of one-run games against the Timberwolves.
In an exciting afternoon of action, the Huskies won game one 9-8 before dropping game two 7-6 and they are now 3-1 on the season.
Sophomore Isabel Sanchez continued her impressive start to the season with a clutch triple to the right centerfield fence in the top of the seventh inning of game one and would score moments later to break an 8-8 tie and help secure the victory.
The Fortuna girls led 8-2 going into the fifth inning before the home team battled back to make for an interesting finish.
The Timberwolves scored two in the fifth to pull within four, and then tied the game in the sixth thanks in part to three walks and a Fortuna error.
With one out in the seventh, however, Sanchez hit her big triple and then scored on a hard-hit grounder by junior shortstop Mariah Bravo.
The standout sophomore then nailed down the victory with a 1-2-3 inning in the pitcher’s circle in the bottom of the seventh.
Sanchez pitched a complete game and finished with 11 strikeouts while allowing just five hits and seven walks.
However, five of the walks would lead to runs.
Sanchez also led the way at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, and an RBI.
Teammate Myra Hayes went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
As a team, the Huskies were 11-for-34, with nine different players getting a base hit.
Game two was shortened to five innings because of darkness.
Once again, the Huskies ran out to a big lead and held a 6-2 advantage going into the bottom of the fifth.
But the home team would rally late with four base hits and two walks to the victory.
Making her first varsity start in the circle, Hayes did a good job keeping the Fort Bragg bats off balance for much of the game.
For the game, the junior pitcher gave up seven runs on nine hits, while walking three and striking out three.
Sanchez had another good game at the plate and finished 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
Senior infielder Kadence Mace was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
The Huskies play South Fork on Monday.
