San Marcos softball’s season came to an end with a 2-1 loss to University High in a CIF-SS Div. 5 Round 2 pitchers’ duel on Saturday in Irvine.
The Royals finished the year with an overall record of 16-12. They placed fourth in the Channel League.
“I think we all went into today feeling like we had more softball left and wanting more softball games together, but I’m so proud of the girls for their effort today. They left everything on the field, and they fought until the last out,” San Marcos head coach Emily Dietz said.
“This group of girls truly loves each other, and that’s something that, as a coach, will stay with me and something I will always remember about this team. That love kept us in a lot of close games this year; that love shone through in how the girls played together. I’m so proud of them.”
Saturday’s matchup was locked at a 0-0 tie through 5 ½ innings, as San Marcos’ Lucy Dessert and University’s Carson Cruz were battling back and forth in the circle.
The Trojans finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth with a bases-loaded walk and an RBI single to take a 2-0 lead into the seventh.
The Royals didn’t go away quietly, as Isa Malarkey led off the seventh with a solo homer over the left-center field wall to cut the deficit in half.
Reese Large followed with a single to right field, but Cruz responded with three consecutive outs to finish off the second-round victory.
Dessert allowed just the two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out eight. Meanwhile, Cruz gave up one run on three hits and one walk to go along with nine punch-outs.
