Foothill Killer Bees buzz past Jewel City Arnols

NORTHWEST GLENDALE — At more than one point in Saturday afternoon’s opening-round game of the Minor Softball Tri-Cities Tournament of Champions at Pelanconi Park, the only thing that could stop the Foothill Killer Bees’ offense was the rule imposed to limit runs per inning to five.

The Killer Bees batted around for a five-spot in the bottom of the second to take the lead over the Jewel City Arnols and all but put the game away with another five in the bottom of the third, keyed by Trinity Dawoldtabar’s three-run home run.

Foothill pitchers Gabby Poli and Kylie Lousararian combined on a two-hitter in the 13-3 win that was called in the bottom of the fifth due to a time limit.

“We have really good pitching so we didn’t need to score that many runs,” said Killer Bees Coach Paul Poli, whose team will play either the Burbank Bees or CV Alsamman in a semifinal contest at Pelanconi on Monday. “We’ve been hitters all year. Anything close, we’re swinging at it.”

Jewel City took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-out single up the middle by Mary Deyell to score Siena Fagiani, but the advantage wouldn’t last long.

Foothill didn’t record a base hit in the second inning, but got plenty of help from Arnols, which issued six walks and committed two errors.

Dawoldtabar scored the tying run on an error after starting the rally with a one-out walk and Foothill took its first lead on a wild pitch with the bases loaded that brought Alexia Hawkins in.

Jessie Clark scored on another bases-loaded walk for the fifth run of the frame.

Jewel City battled back with two runs in the top of the third, getting Luana Maza home on a Deyell single before Deyell stole second and scored on an error on a pickoff attempt from behind the plate to third base.

But this time it was the bats of the Killer Bees taking control, as the bottom of the third saw three hits mixed with a walk and two errors.

With one out, Bella Urena singled to center field and Lousararian scored on an error on the play. Another error allowed Alasia Urena to reach base, setting the table for Dawoldtabar’s inside-the-park blast to deep center field that put the Killer Bees up, 10-3.

Foothill added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth when Hawkins’ lead-off single was followed by back-to-back walks and Clarece Gil came through with a run-scoring single and Astrid Pratt followed with an RBI groundout.

Lousararian pitched a hitless top of the fifth in relief of Poli (11 strikeouts) before the Killer Bees loaded the bases again with one out on the bottom half. Alasia Urena’s single to center field to score Lousararian was the final play before the game was called.

“It was a good game, Foothill’s tough,” Arnols Coach Vincent Maza said. “They have good pitching. We had some hits but just couldn’t pull it through.”