The Paly varsity softball team ended on a high note with a final league win against cross-town rival, Gunn.
Paly beat Gunn 9-1 to finish 5-7 in the SCVAL El Camino Division, and 8-12 overall. The team?s record, however, does not qualify it to advance to the Central Coast Section tournament. This was senior second baseman Elena Rizza, catcher Leah Willis and center-fielder Kalena Masching?s last game of their high-school career.

Freshman pitcher Christie Cory had a career high with nine strikeouts against the Titans, with two in the top of the first inning. Gunn starting pitcher, senior Claire Cruz, intentionally walked junior Kelli Fangonilo to put the first runner on base for the game. After a single by freshman Nikki Remmel, and another walk from Cruz, freshman Kristine Miller singled to score Fangonilo to make the score 1-0, Paly.

Cory notched another two strikeouts in the second inning. Gunn let up four more runs in the bottom of the second by allowing five batters to reach base, turning the score board to 5-0, Paly.

Once again, Cory had a quick three up, three down top of the inning with three more strikeouts against Gunn. The bottom of the third was not as long as the Lady Vikes would have hoped for, with a groudout by freshman Katie Barich, and two strikeouts by Willis and Remmel.

Gunn scored its first and only run in the top of the fourth inning after a runner reached base after being hit by a wild pitch from Cory. Gunn?s runner stole second and with the help of a line drive by a teammate, she scored, making the score 5-1. Starting off the bottom of the fourth was a perfect bunt, laid down the third-base line by Masching. She stole second, then scored on an overthrow to first, making the score 6-1. Freshman Sisley Brewer was walked and then scored on a dropped ball hit by Rizza, turning the score to 7-1.

The pattern of a quick top of each inning remained the same in the fifth with two groudouts along with Cory?s ninth strikeout of the game. Barich started off the bottom of the fifth inning with a deep single that dropped between Gunn?s third baseman and left fielder. Willis followed Barich with another single, putting a runner in scoring position. With a strikeout from Fangonilo and an infield fly by Remmel, the Vikes were thinking that the inning was close to being done, but Masching slammed a triple into left-center field to score two more runs, changing the score to 9-1. Brewer was walked and Rizza lined out to third to end the inning.

The entire sixth inning was scoreless on both sides.

Paly ended its season in the top of the seventh inning with three quick outs hit into the infield.

Due back next spring are juniors Jackie Lytle, Elena Stillerman, and Kelli Fangonilo, sophomore Tiffany Hawes, and freshmen Nikki Remmel, Kristine Taylor, Christie Cory, Anne Widera, Sisley Brewer and Katie Barich.