Whitney's five-run rally erases Pleasant Grove lead for 10-9 Wildcats' win

Trailing 9-5, the Whitney High softball team put five runs across the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning to overcome Pleasant Grove's four-run lead and win 10-9 last Friday in Rocklin. In the seventh, Emma Rabe, Bella Harper, Madilyn Novello and Brooklyn Steele all scored. With two outs and the bases loaded, Rabe made her second appearance at the plate and stroked a single into right field to score Bryanna Decker and wrap up the come-from-behind victory. "We don't ever give up. This team came back, this is the second time this season when we came back from a deficit and won on a walk-off like that," said a smiling Wildcats head coach Mike Mello. "And if you can believe the coincidence, it was the same girl, Emma (Rabe), for the second time this season." Although the Eagles were in control for most of the game behind solid pitching from starter Bella Harpster and closer Alexa Lewis, they could not put away the 'Cats. Despite Pleasant Grove scoring in five of the seven innings played, the real fireworks came off Whitney's bats. Trailing 3-0 going into the fourth inning, Hannah Duncan, Novello and Steel loaded the bases ahead of cleanup batter Tylie Kitchen. The talented sophomore then ripped a grand slam home run over the centerfield fence to give Whitney its first lead, 4-3. "I'm just thinking, got to get the bat on the ball," Kitchen said after the game. "I never try to think home run because I get into my head too much. I just think, I've got to get a base hit and when everything happens I just hope it's the best." Pleasant Grove continued to peck away, and regained the lead 7-4 in the fifth inning off hits by Shealyn Stinson, Riley Bigley (double), and Mindy Brian. Whitney starting pitcher Katelyn Barker then struck out the final two batters to end the rally. The Eagles picked up two runs, one in the sixth inning and another in the top of the seventh for a 9-5 lead. The Wildcats' fifth run came in the fifth, when Alyssa Flindt drove in Novello with a double. Barker was relieved in the fourth inning by Duncan, who helped tame the Eagles with seven Ks to her credit. "I have a senior (Barker) and a junior (Duncan) pitcher and I try to give them as much work as I can," Mello said. "You can't carry one pitcher through the whole season. So, I'm running them both and mixing them up in different games." At the plate, Novello, Decker, Flindt, Kitchen, Rabe and Harper all had two hits, including doubles by Flindt and Kitchen. Kitchen led in RBIs with four (grand slam), Steele had two and one each came from Decker, Flindt, and Rabe. "We all connect together as a team. Once we like, are down, we kind of put our heads together and say, hey, we can win this thing," Kitchen said. "I just love my team so much." The Wildcats played at Del Oro High Saturday to begin Sierra Foothill League play, beating the Golden Eagles 4-0. Whitney High hosted Oak Ridge Monday in a 5-3 winning effort and will visit Rocklin High on Tuesday.