After opening the year with eight straight games on the road, the Ohlone softball team found solace when they stepped onto their home diamond last Thursday. They found even more solace when they came away victorious against Foothill College, 8-0. Before Foothill, travelled as far as Visalia to get their games in. In that span, the Lady Renegades have gone 4-3-1. “I am so glad wedidn’t have to get into a bus to play,” Ohlone coach Donna Runyon said jokingly. With a great balance between sophomores and freshmen,Runyon has the amount of youth and experience to get the results that she desires. On top of that, there hasn’t been a shortage of production from the freshmen. “Freshmen have to step up and when they get their chance to play, they take advantage,” said Runyon. Against the Owls of Foothill, freshman pitcher Jessica Varady pitched a gem for five innings. In those five innings, Varady gave up only two hits and struck out six. She now possesses a record of 5-2 for the season. “She (Varady) is developing into a pitcher that will get to the next level,” said Runyon. “She has made the adjustment from 40 feet in high school to 43 feet in college and she’s done it very quickly.” Without a doubt, Varady’s biggest support came from fellow freshman and battery mate, catcher Stefanie Hatley. Hatley opened the floodgates in the second inning with her RBI double. The California High alum fell a home run short of completing the cycle but flirted with the center field fence in every at-bat. She finished the game going 3-3 with a triple and two RBI’s. In the second inning, the Lady Renegades cracked the scoreboard for four runs and almost batted around the order. Out of the five hits that Ohlone collected in the second, four of them were for extra bases. The Lady Renegades ended the game in the fifth inning after sophomore Mariah Jones’ two-run double. Immediately after Jones knocked in Hatley and Jamilyn Cruz, the game was called due to the mercy rule. Jones finished with three RBI’s. “It’s huge,” Runyon said about the production. “I honestly think that I’m pleased not just with score and what we did, but I’m pleased with how we’re coming together.” However, the housewarming will be short lived as Ohlone will hit the road again for three games. Before returning home to face Chabot on March 4, Ohlone will make stops at Mission, Solano and De Anza.
By Nick ZambranoSports editor
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