Roseville softball falls to Ponderosa

Roseville High's varsity softball team won the Foothill Valley League championship a year ago and would love to do it again this year. The team returns eight of their top 10 players so the talent is there. Pitcher Isabella Senini returns as does seven starters: McKenna Patterson, Jocelyn Solorio, Alyssa West, Carly Currie-Silhanek, Makena Kelly, Jasmine Hale and Kayla Robles. The Tigers are 1-2 on the season with a win over Oakmont and a loss to Whitney last week along with a 6-2 loss against Ponderosa on Monday. Roseville trailed Ponderosa 3-2 until the top of the sixth when Ponderosa's Kate McCartney smashed a two-out, three-run home run to straightaway center field. In the bottom of the fifth inning trailing 3-2, Roseville had Solorio, who had walked, on second base with two outs when West hit a long fly ball to right field which was tracked down by Trinidey Fuss, who made an over-the-shoulder running catch to end the inning. "We did good," Roseville coach Sarah O'Dea said. "They had five games under their belt and we had two. It came down to one phenomenal play in right field, as well as the home run." What O'Dea is most excited about is the team's potential. "We're a young team and we're still working," O'Dea said. "We've got great potential. I've got starters who are freshmen and I've got starters who are seniors and we've got great potential throughout the lineup. Everyone can hit the ball, and everyone has a job to do and a responsibility. I'm hoping we can win the league again." It's a busy week for the Tigers, as they play eight games in six days, culminating with a tournament in Chico on Friday and Saturday.