Southern Regional Community College Softball : Palomar Beats Saddleback to Advance to Final

No. 1-ranked Palomar defeated Saddleback, 2-1, Saturday to move into the winner’s bracket final today against two-time state champion Rancho Santiago in the double-elimination Southern Regional state softball tournament at San Marcos Junior High School.

Palomar and Rancho Santiago are both 2-0 and will meet at 10 a.m., with the winner automatically qualifying for the championship game. Saddleback and Cerritos both have one loss, as four teams have been eliminated. The first- and second-place finishers advance to next week’s state championship tournament, also to be played at San Marcos Junior High.

Palomar trailed Saddleback, 1-0, going into the bottom of the seventh in its semifinal game. But Amy McDonald singled in the tying run, and Palomar loaded the bases with one out.

Malia Faumuina hit a one-hopper back to pitcher Patty Taylor, who tried to get a double play by throwing home to get the second out. However, catcher Debbie Hartwig’s throw to first hit Faumuina, and McDonald came around from second to score the winning run when the ball rolled free.

Rancho Santiago defeated San Diego Mesa, 1-0. The Dons’ Lisa Pedersen singled to open the bottom of the ninth and reached second on a sacrifice.

Lee Bladow then lifted a fly ball down the right-field line. Chris Hermanson, the right fielder, and Mary Bongard, the second baseman, collided, but Hermanson held on to the ball. Both players were shaken up for a moment, and Pedersen was able to tag and score from second.