Belanger’s two hits lead Foothill past Green Valley

Even as a senior on Foothill’s softball team, Danielle Belanger has to fight for playing time.

Six freshmen all are making a case for being in the lineup and are pushing Belanger and some of her classmates for starting positions.

Belanger assisted her own cause and helped her team to a big Southeast League win Wednesday, hitting a pair of RBI singles in a 4-0 home win over Green Valley.

“We figured she would be a starter for us, but the freshmen are putting some pressure on her. She stepped up today,” said Foothill coach Tom Mayes. “She got a couple of good hits. It definitely helped her.”

Hitting eighth in the Falcons’ lineup Wednesday, Belanger laced a bases-loaded single with one out in the fourth inning, scoring Kylee Taylor to give Foothill a 2-0 lead. The left fielder added a two-out single in the sixth, again chasing home Taylor, to finish the scoring.

“It’s a big boost,” said Belanger, who finished 2-for-3. “It felt good to be out there.”

The Falcons graduated the state player of the year in Shelbie Medrano and five other seniors after qualifying for the state tournament last year.

With the six freshmen and two sophomores on this year’s roster, it figured to be a reloading season for Foothill. Instead, the Falcons are 8-2 overall and 2-0 in the Southeast.

“The freshmen see where we’ve been, and they don’t want to let anyone down,” Mayes said. “The seniors who have been in the program don’t want to be the ones who start to let up.”

Senior center fielder Jennifer James tripled and scored Foothill’s first run in the third inning. The Falcons also took advantage of a throwing error to score another run in the fourth.

That was more than enough for sophomore pitcher Alex Petrolia, who tossed a six-hit shutout and struck out three. The Falcons played errorless defense behind her.

“She had some trouble in the early innings earlier this season, but after that she just bears down and goes,” Mayes said.

Ali Bodnar was 2-for-2 and Alicia Firelein 2-for-3 with a double for the Gators (5-2, 1-1).

“It’s a big-time boost for us,’ Belanger said. “This was a big game for us. They’re our rival, but we also know them and we’re good friends with them.”