Foothill works magic again, reaches Sunrise softball final

Foothill softball coach Tom Mayes has grown accustomed to the routine. Year after year, his teams play mediocre regular seasons, only to peak just in time to pull off several close playoff wins in the regional tournament.

The Falcons worked their magic again Friday, outlasting Southeast League champion Coronado for a 6-5 victory in eight innings in the Sunrise Region tournament at Foothill.

The win lifted the Falcons into today’s 10 a.m. championship game, where they will play Rancho. Under the tournament’s double-elimination format, Foothill will have to defeat the Rams twice to claim the automatic state tournament berth.

Jasmine Dukes was the hero Friday, as her sharp bouncer to shortstop in the eighth inning was misplayed to bring in the go-ahead run.

“We don’t care about the regular season,” Mayes said. “We’ve got three seasons. First there are the preseason tournaments, then the regular season and then the playoffs. That’s the way the girls have got it set in their minds.”

That plan did not appear to be working in the early innings, as the Cougars erupted for three runs on six hits in a third inning capped by Alexis Okamura’s soft RBI single up the middle.

But the Falcons answered in the fourth on an RBI single by Dukes and took a 4-3 lead on Daryan Meade’s three-run homer to left field.

Mayes said Meade’s blast was a key to the win.

“It was a recharge,” he said. “It was like getting a new battery. As soon as that happened, you could just feel the energy level rise.”

The Falcons clung to the slim advantage until an error set up Tatum Spangler’s game-tying double that bounced off the left-field fence.

Though Foothill regained the lead at 5-4 on an RBI double by Alexis Farias in the seventh, the Cougars again battled back and forced extra innings when Marissa Kopp’s bloop single was mishandled, allowing Taylor Okamura to score from second base.

Mayes said he was never concerned.

“These girls just never say die,” he said. “We’ve had our struggles, but they just won’t die.”

The Falcons proved their resolve when Jordan Corn led off the eighth with a sharp single that caromed off the shin of Coronado pitcher Jillian James. With no outs, they loaded the bases on a Cougars error and a walk to set up Dukes’ decisive at-bat.

Reliever Sadie Christian set Coronado down in order in the bottom of the inning to get the win.

Dukes went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Foothill, and Farias went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Sarah Pinkston went 2-for-2 with a double to lead the Cougars.