The Fortuna Huskies got the new softball season off to a successful start with a 13-5 extra-innings win over the Napa Grizzlies at St. Helena on Friday.
Both teams were tied 5-5 after seven innings, but the Fortuna girls exploded for eight runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure the win.
Freshman Breonna Crnkovich and senior Myra Hayes combined in the circle, with the latter getting the victory in relief.
“I was very pleased with our two pitchers’ performance tonight,” Fortuna head coach Eric Helms said afterwards. “Pleased, but not surprised.”
In her first-ever taste of high school softball, Crnkovich got the start and threw 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit and two walks and striking out one.
“She kept the Napa batters off balance and gave us a chance to win,” the head coach said.
The experienced Hayes pitched five innings for the win, allowing three runs on three hits and five walks and striking out nine.
“Senior Myra Hayes came on to dominate the game,” Helms said. “She kept the Grizzlies off balance with a completely devastating change up.
“She’s been in our program for four years and I never doubted that she would give her best effort. She definitely follows the tradition of Hailey Dolcini, Courtney and Jenna Christiansen, Juliana Ortega—Miranda and all the other great players from our past.”
With impressive junior Isabel Sanchez also on the roster, Helms and the Huskies have a deep pitching staff this year that should help them challenge for the Big 5 championship.
At the plate, the Huskies racked up their 13 runs on 10 hits and benefitted from six Napa errors.
Senior Faith Helms led the way on offense and finished 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and a stolen base, while Hayes helped her own cause by going 2-for-5 with an RBI.
Sophomore Evalynn Little, who is one of four players who just joined the team this week after a long playoff run for the school’s basketball team, also was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs.
Sanchez and Olivia Hayes each also had a base hit, with the latter also stealing two bases.
Junior Hailee Thompson also had a stolen base.
