Community College Softball : Rancho Santiago Advances to Final

Two-time state champion Rancho Santiago beat San Diego Mesa, 1-0, Saturday to move into the winners’ bracket final today against No. 1-ranked Palomar in the double-elimination Southern Regional state softball tournament at San Marcos Junior High School.

Rancho Santiago and Palomar are both 2-0 and will meet at 10 a.m with the winner automatically qualifying for the championship game. Saddleback and Cerritos have one loss each as four teams have been eliminated. The first- and second-place finishers advance to next week’s state championship tournament, also to be played at San Marcos Junior High.

Rancho Santiago’s Lisa Pedersen singled to open the bottom of the ninth for Rancho Santiago and had reached second on a sacrifice. Lee Bladow then lifted a fly ball down the right-field line. Chris Hermanson, the right fielder, and Mary Bongard, the second baseman, collided but Hermanson held on to the ball. Both players were shaken up for a moment, and Pedersen was able to tag and score from second.

Palomar, meanwhile, defeated Saddleback, 2-1. Palomar trailed, 1-0, going into the bottom of the seventh in its semifinal game. But Amy McDonald singled in the tying run and Palomar loaded the bases with one out. Malia Faumuina hit a one-hopper back to pitcher Patty Taylor, who started an apparent double play by throwing home to get the second out. However, catcher Debbie Hartwig’s throw to first hit Faumuina and McDonald came around from second to score the winning run when the ball rolled free.