CLOVIS SCORES IN 12TH TO WIN MARATHON VS. MOUNT WHITNEY
Lisa Burnett THE FRESNO BEE

With the sun sinking in the sky and the spring air turning cool Thursday, Alex Bellardinelli figured the time had come.

When the Clovis High sophomore shortstop stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 12th inning, she drove a shot into deep right field, sending Karla Snider home from third and lifting the Cougars to a 3-2 victory over Mount Whitney in what was scheduled as a softball doubleheader.

The teams played just one inning of the second game before it was called because of darkness.

"It was never-ending," Bellardinelli said of the first game.

Bellardinelli's hit, that would have easily gone for extra bases, came after Pioneers pitcher Brooke Renfroe intentionally walked Pam Perez to load the bases with one out.

"I hadn't gotten a hit before that, and I needed to this time," said Bellardinelli, who actually had a key hit and tied the score in the 11th. "After they walked Pam, I knew I needed to right now."

Snider led off the 12th with an infield single, and Jamie Southern followed with a single to left. Kim Synn sacrificed the runners along, and after Perez walked, Bellardinelli hit Renfroe's first pitch.

"I thought the first pitch was going to be good, so I was prepared," Bellardinelli said.

That ended a marathon game that was tied 1-1 after seven innings.

Southern put the Cougars up early, leading off the third inning with a double and later scoring on Perez's triple down the first-base line. Melissa Gardner tied it for Mount Whitney in the sixth when she reached on a fielder's choice bunt then scored on an error.

The Pioneers took their only lead in the 11th when Cori Janelli led off with a single and scored on Lacy Fariss' two-out RBI single.

Bellardinelli, who was 0 for 4 through the first 10 innings, led off the 11th with high hopper over shortstop for a hit. Three batters later, she scored on a wild pitch.

"One bad pitch," sighed Whitney coach Skip Pendergast, whose top two pitchers (Janelli and Renfroe) have been suffering from pulled shoulder muscles. "We had our opportunities, and so did they."

The Pioneers had just one baserunner through the first five innings, but left a runner on second base in the eighth and stranded runners on second and third in the 10th. Clovis left a runner on second in the eighth, a runner on first in third in the ninth, and a runner on second in the 11th.

Except for a first-inning walk, Southern was perfect through five innings but gave up two hits in each of the sixth, eight and 11th innings.

She finished with a six-hitter with seven strikeouts and two walks. Crystal Medina pitched the first nine innings, allowing five hits, hitting one and striking out one before giving way to Renfroe. Renfroe gave up four hits, three in the 12th inning.

Gardner, the Pioneers shortstop, had the defensive gem of the day. She snagged Perez's shot up the middle on her knees over second base then turned it into a double play by catching the runner off first base.

Veronica Mendietta hit a three-run triple, and Erica Leyba drove in two runs to lead Sanger past Roosevelt 12-0.

Rebecca Nemec had three hits for the Apaches, and teammates Hayley Lehmen and Stephanie Payan each went 2 for 3.

Kallie Wilson had a two run single as Coalinga scored three runs in the third inning to defeat Mendota 9-0 in the North Sequoia League.

Lindsey Herrin had 12 strikeouts for Coalinga.

Baseball

David Ruiz's two-run double highlighted a five-run fifth inning and led Lemoore to a 5-3 West Yosemite League victory against Golden West.

Calls from coaches contributed to this report.