JUDA - The Panthers are regional champions just two years after finishing last in the Six Rivers East.
"I was really excited," sophomore pitching ace Amber Ramos said after Juda's 6-2 win Thursday against Barneveld in the Division 4 softball playoffs. "We're playing really good and we've improved a lot since last year."
The Panthers followed the lead Ramos, who struck out eight and tossed a one-hitter. The lone hit off Ramos came off the bat of Alexis Brown, who led off the seventh inning with a slash bloop to right. Ramos had trouble at times finding the strike zone, walking a total of eight hitters.
"Amber struggled a little bit with her control," Juda head coach Bill Davis said. "Sometimes what you do when you get a lead is that you tend to hold back."
Juda led 6-1 in the seventh, only to see Ramos allow a hit and two walks. A fielders choice brought in a run to close the gap, but Ramos got Brooke Arneson, who represented the tying run, to ground out to second to end the game.
"I really just wanted to strike her out, or at least have a ground ball and throw her out," Ramos said. "I was a little nervous. It was a big relief (to get the out)."
The Panthers picked up momentum during a two-run second inning and tacked on insurance runs in the third and fifth.
C.J. Dunwiddie led off the second with a bunt single and went to second on a walk by Tabitha Theiler. Jessica Rackow then doubled to right side, eluding the center fielder by mere inches, allowing Dunwiddie to score. Aly Pierce, with two outs and two ducks on the pond, quickly fell behind in the count 0-2 before sending a single through the left side to plate the second run in the frame.
"It was a really big at bat. I was scared," Pierce said. "I don't like getting down in the count because then I strike out and I don't like doing that."
Pierce added that the two runs gave the team plenty of momentum with the way Ramos was tossing the ball.
"It was really big because that gave us a bit of a cushion. We didn't have to be scared," Pierce said.
Juda got two more runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, Megan Trotter sent a booming double off the left field fence, scoring Alycia Grenzow from first base. After two wild pitches, Trotter scored.
In the fifth, Ramos led off with a double to right center on the first pitch she saw.
"I've kind of been in a batting slump, so I'm glad I did that. It really boosted me," she said.
Grenzow sacrificed to the pitcher, but reached when Barneveld's first baseman dropped the ball. Dunwiddie then singled up the middle to plate a run and a sac bunt by Theiler scored the Juda's final run.
"Offensively we got into a groove and got some big hits, some key hits," Davis said. "And defensively, we made the plays, too. It wasn't all about Amber striking everybody out. If they hit the ball, we made the play."
Barneveld scored its only other run in the bottom of the first.
The Panthers move on to sectionals for what assistant coach Pam Green said was the first time in over a decade, if not in school history. Juda will face Racine Lutheran High School Tuesday.
"They've worked so hard for this," Green said. "(A win) couldn't have come to a better bunch of girls. They really deserve it. They've put their heart and souls into it."
"I was really excited," sophomore pitching ace Amber Ramos said after Juda's 6-2 win Thursday against Barneveld in the Division 4 softball playoffs. "We're playing really good and we've improved a lot since last year."
The Panthers followed the lead Ramos, who struck out eight and tossed a one-hitter. The lone hit off Ramos came off the bat of Alexis Brown, who led off the seventh inning with a slash bloop to right. Ramos had trouble at times finding the strike zone, walking a total of eight hitters.
"Amber struggled a little bit with her control," Juda head coach Bill Davis said. "Sometimes what you do when you get a lead is that you tend to hold back."
Juda led 6-1 in the seventh, only to see Ramos allow a hit and two walks. A fielders choice brought in a run to close the gap, but Ramos got Brooke Arneson, who represented the tying run, to ground out to second to end the game.
"I really just wanted to strike her out, or at least have a ground ball and throw her out," Ramos said. "I was a little nervous. It was a big relief (to get the out)."
The Panthers picked up momentum during a two-run second inning and tacked on insurance runs in the third and fifth.
C.J. Dunwiddie led off the second with a bunt single and went to second on a walk by Tabitha Theiler. Jessica Rackow then doubled to right side, eluding the center fielder by mere inches, allowing Dunwiddie to score. Aly Pierce, with two outs and two ducks on the pond, quickly fell behind in the count 0-2 before sending a single through the left side to plate the second run in the frame.
"It was a really big at bat. I was scared," Pierce said. "I don't like getting down in the count because then I strike out and I don't like doing that."
Pierce added that the two runs gave the team plenty of momentum with the way Ramos was tossing the ball.
"It was really big because that gave us a bit of a cushion. We didn't have to be scared," Pierce said.
Juda got two more runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, Megan Trotter sent a booming double off the left field fence, scoring Alycia Grenzow from first base. After two wild pitches, Trotter scored.
In the fifth, Ramos led off with a double to right center on the first pitch she saw.
"I've kind of been in a batting slump, so I'm glad I did that. It really boosted me," she said.
Grenzow sacrificed to the pitcher, but reached when Barneveld's first baseman dropped the ball. Dunwiddie then singled up the middle to plate a run and a sac bunt by Theiler scored the Juda's final run.
"Offensively we got into a groove and got some big hits, some key hits," Davis said. "And defensively, we made the plays, too. It wasn't all about Amber striking everybody out. If they hit the ball, we made the play."
Barneveld scored its only other run in the bottom of the first.
The Panthers move on to sectionals for what assistant coach Pam Green said was the first time in over a decade, if not in school history. Juda will face Racine Lutheran High School Tuesday.
"They've worked so hard for this," Green said. "(A win) couldn't have come to a better bunch of girls. They really deserve it. They've put their heart and souls into it."
