Helix’s Ramuno spins shortened perfecto
- Updated: March 27, 2021
Helix salutes its opponent following the win. / Helix Softball
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
ECS Staff Report
LA MESA – After a historically long offseason, rust and nerves were to be expected early on in the 2021 prep softball season. However, Highlander pitcher Sophia Ramuno appeared more than ready for the challenge, throwing a perfect game and striking out 12 of the 15 batters she faced in a run-rule shortened affair against the Central Spartans of El Centro on Friday afternoon (Mar. 26) in a final of 10-0.
The contest concluded by run-rule when Helix scored four times in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Ramuno, a junior who did not allow a run in 19 2/3 innings as a sophomore before the season ended prematurely last season, simply dominated the Spartans. She posted 12 strikeouts. Coupled without registering a walk and perfect defense behind her, not a single opponent ever reached base to complete her pitching gem.
The pitcher was preparing to toss the final two innings, but Helix tallied five times in the fourth inning to mount a 5-0 cushion, then doubled the margin to run-rule Central in the fifth. The outburst came, oddly, on only an extra-base hit — a double by Amber Young.
The top six batters for Helix all scored, including two markers by Ashton Isbell, Maggie Jenkins, and Jolene Giles. Conversely, most of the hits came from the bottom of the order, including Isabella Bordine, Angel Riggins, Young, and Ramuno. The other hit came off the bat of Kori Jonilonis.
After both teams went back and forth for the first couple of innings the Helix Highlanders finally broke the scoreless game as they pushed across a run in the bottom of the third inning.
Starting the inning off, Jenkins led off with a walk, and she would later in the inning come into score when Audrey Kull singled.
Leading 1-0, the Highlanders managed to put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to really extend their lead.
With one out, Ramuno walked, then she would advance to third base when with two-outs, Jenkins singled. Giles followed and was hit by pitch, which loaded the bases. With the bases packed, Kull would manage to draw a walk to bring home Ramuno to make it 2-0.
Janilonis followed with her base hit to score Jenkins, then the next batter, Young, smashed a double that scored both Giles and Kull which would make it 6-0.
Helix would later push across their final runs starting off with a Bordine base hit.
Ramuno walked, then Riggins singled to load the bases.
Now, with the bases loaded, up stepped Jenkins, who drew a walk allowing Bordine to come home.
The perfect game by Ramuno was her first of her high school career.
The Highlanders’ next contest is on the road against Patrick Henry, in the first meeting of the two teams since 2014.
