Rancho grabs playoff berth

Only last month Amber Marlett told Rancho softball coach Michelle Van Buren she probably wouldn’t be able to pitch the rest of the season.

But the Rams sophomore had a change of heart soon after the spring break chat, deciding to pitch while still recovering from a meniscus injury in her right knee.

“I just had to do it for my team,” said Marlett, who missed more than two weeks in the circle. “I had to pull myself together and pitch through the pain. It’s always going to be there, but I can’t give up the sport that I love.”

Marlett’s return is a major reason Rancho is headed to the postseason for the third straight season.

Marlett struck out 12 in a complete game Thursday to lead the Rams to an 8-3 home win over Canyon Springs.

The win gave the Rams (8-18, 5-7) the Northeast League’s fourth and final berth in the Class 4A Sunrise Region playoffs. The season is over for the Pioneers (5-10, 4-8).

Rancho will open the postseason against Southeast champion Green Valley (24-6, 12-2) on Tuesday at Majestic Park.

“It was a season of waiting, to see how our team was going to do with being so young,” said first-year coach Van Buren, who had to replace nine seniors this season.

Marlett, who scattered five hits and walked five, said the Rams have improved since a 2-10 start thanks to a renewed focus. They enter the playoffs winning three of the past four.

“The girls want it more,” she said. “As regionals get closer, they see it, we know we can do it, and we pulled it off.”

Rancho scored two runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings.

Jessica Ramirez was 3-for-4 to lead the Rams. Marlett (two doubles), Viviana Trujillo (two RBIs), Daisy Valenzuela (two RBIs) and Meridee Drury each added two hits.

Michiko Carter doubled and drove in a run for Canyon Springs, which was outhit 14-5.

Pioneers coach Gina Stephens said “lack of drive” was the primary reason her team’s season came to an end.

“It’s obvious Rancho wanted it more,” she said.

While acknowledging Green Valley will be a big hurdle, Marlett isn’t quite ready for the Rams’ run to end.

“We’re going to bust our butts to get a flag up in our gym,” Marlett said. “We want to take state.”