Ripon’s Mims Caratachea pitched a complete-game four-hit shutout Saturday, striking out 11 in a 9-0 Trans-Valley League softball win over visiting Hughson with the game completing just minutes before a downpour.
With at least a share of the league title now in hand, the Indians (8-1 TVL, 12-4 overall) host Escalon on Thursday at 4 p.m. for their regular-season finale. A win gives them sole possession of first place.
“I pitched seven innings on Friday,” Caratachea said. “I took care of myself and envisioned how I wanted to come out today. I know we beat them last time but I didn’t want to underestimate them because they are good hitters.
“I just made the adjustments that I needed to make like where I needed to snap a little bit more or maybe a little bit less. I worked with what I had, I tried to stay loose and focused throughout the game.”
The Huskies (2-7 TVL, 5-12 overall) got a runner to third in the second inning and loaded the bases in the fifth, but both times Mims wiggled out of the jam with a strikeout in the second and a groundout in the fifth.
“Mims (Caratachea) was dealing,” Indians coach Tanner Jordan said. “She has done such a great job of getting out of those tough moments. When the bases are loaded that doesn’t even affect her.
“She is a go-getter. She sets the standard for us a lot of the time. She doesn’t get rattled so everyone feels a lot calmer playing around her and supporting her. She does a great job leading us.”
Peyton Naranjo had the big hit for Ripon in a four-run fourth inning, launching a fly to deep center that went in and out of the center-fielder’s glove before the ball went over the fence for a home run.
“I honestly thought she made the catch,” Naranjo said. “And if she did that would have been a really good catch.
“But once I saw it go over I was really happy it went over.”
Jaycee Wilmshurst batted in the nine hole for the Indians and was quite productive, going 3 for 3 with two runs and two RBI, plating Chloe Lautenslager (2 for 3, RBI, run) in the second and Caratachea in the fourth.
“I just try and do the best I can and get a base hit,” Wilmshurst said. “And get on so Addi (Naranjo) can maybe hit me in.”
Ripon leadoff batter Addi Naranjo scored a run and knocked in two on sacrifice flies and Izzy Spurzem doubled, knocked in and scored a run.
The Indians scored two in the second and one in the third before their big fourth inning.
“We have had a trend all season long of having a slower start,” Jordan said. “It just takes us a while to adjust to pitching and once we adjust to pitching everything starts to roll pretty well for us. Our offense carried our defense a little bit but today our defense kept us in it for a while until the bats could catch up.”
