It was a key game in the softball race in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, and Westmont came up short in the 2-1 extra inning game on May 6.

Mt. Pleasant entered the game with a six-game winning streak, and Westmont had won four of its last five. The Cardinals held second place in the division with Westmont in fourth. And that's exactly where they remained.

Westmont scored a run in the third to take a 1-0 lead, but the Cards tied it in the sixth then scored in the eighth to clinch the win.

Leigh tops the division with a 10-3 record with Mt. Pleasant a half game back at 9-3. Leland is also a half game back but at 10-4, and Westmont is fourth at 6-6, a game up on fifth place Santa Teresa at 5-7.

The top four finishers in the division earn automatic Central Coast Section playoff berths, so the Warriors face two key games this week when they head to Santa Teresa on May 11 and visit Leland on May 13. A Tuesday win over the Saints would have clinched a playoff spot for the Warriors.

Westmont starting pitcher Breanna Kuhny was sharp throughout the game against Mt. Pleasant. She scattered seven hits over her eight innings of work, striking out one batter and walking three. Westmont's defense was also sharp behind Kuhny, helping keep the game close while the wind swirled and made routine plays not so routine. Westmont played errorless softball in the game.

Mt. Pleasant's starting pitcher Gina Botkins was equally as impressive. Botkins surrendered eight hits over her eight innings of work. She struck out six while walking none.

Westmont did get on the board first. In the bottom of the third inning, Sami Horn singled with one out. After Lisa Parola sacrificed Horn to second, Rachel Gellman singled to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

Mt. Pleasant had chances to score, however. In the third inning, two walks and a single couldn't produce a run for the Cardinals as Kuhny was able to wiggle out of trouble. In the fourth inning, a leadoff double by Nerissa Marichalar was wasted, keeping the Warriors up 1-0.

Finally, in the sixth inning, Mt. Pleasant tied the game 1-1. All-league shortstop Angelina Mexicano led off the inning with a double. It looked like Kuhny was going to get out of this jam too after she was able to get the next two Cardinals to fly out. After an intentional walk to pinch hitter Maria Sisneros, a two-out single scored Mexicano to tie the game.

Westmont had a great chance to take the lead back in their half of the sixth when Gellman led off the inning with an infield hit. Ashley Britton sacrificed her to second. After a ground ball out advanced Gellman to third, Danielle Chapman was intentionally walked. However, Botkins struck out the next hitter for the third out, leaving runners stranded at first and third.

The Warriors almost won the game in the seventh. With one out Ann Baumgardner beat out a bunt single. When Horn tried to bunt her to second, Baumgardner was thrown out but Horn reached base on the play. With two outs, Parola singled top advance Horn to second. Gellman then stepped into the batter's box and grounded to third base. However, the Cardinals' third baseman misplayed the ball and all runners were safe. Britton then hit a slow grounder to second which she almost beat out, but the Cardinals' second baseman made a good play to record the third out to send the game to extra innings.

The eighth inning for Mt. Pleasant was started off with a double by Mexicano who then stole third base. Kuhny then bounced a pitch that eluded catcher Renee Anderson and Mexicano raced home to give Mt. Pleasant a 2-1 lead. Kuhny then got out of the inning, not allowing another base runner and only the one run.

In the bottom of the eighth, Danielle Chapman singled with one out. The next hitter hit a ball to shortstop. However, when the ball was thrown to second for the attempted force out, it was dropped by the Cardinals' second baseman and everybody was safe.

After a ground ball for the second out, things got interesting. Baumgardner hit a slow grounder to first. She raced down the line, but the Mt. Pleasant first baseman dove and just tagged the bag with her glove for the third out.

Westmont had open the week by losing a 4-0 nod to first-place Leigh. Allyson Carrothers had two hits for the Warriors and Gellman doubled.

Panthers win two

In other local softball action, Prospect improved to 9-3 in West Valley Division play by beating San Jose Academy 12-1 and Lincoln 11-4. Stacey Miller was the winning pitcher in each game, and she also homered and singled twice to drive in three runs against the Bulldogs. Erin Janssen was 4 for 4 with a couple of triples to knock in three runs against San Jose and she singled and tripled to plate a pair in the win over the Lions.

Falcons take three

Nikki Franchi strung together three sensational performances to lead the Saratoga girls softball team to three wins in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last week.

Franchi struck out 44 batters in the three games as she tossed a couple of one-hitters and a three-hitter to help the Falcons improve to 6-4 in league play.

She was also impressive in a losing effort to close out the week. Saratoga dropped a 2-1 non-league decision to Aptos to slip to 11-7 for the year, but Franchi fired a one-hitter in the loss.

Franchi opened the week with a one-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory over Santa Clara. Franchi struck out 15 as she tossed seven zeroes at the Bruins. Saratoga's only run came in the bottom of the seventh when Stef Behesthi knocked home the game winner.

Franchi gave up just three hits and fanned 16 a couple of days later in a 4-1 win over Gunn. Kirsten Moore singled home a run for the Falcons to spark a four-run rally in the first inning.

Franchi flipped another one-hit shutout later in the week in an 11-0 win over Cupertino. She struck out 13 in just five innings. Moore and Katie Reed belted two hits apiece in the win.

Saratoga closed out the week with the tough 2-1 loss to Aptos. Franchi fired another one-hitter, striking out 11, but Aptos scored singled runs in the second and third to nail the win.

The Falcons only run came in the first on a run-scoring double by Franchi.