City Section softball: Chavez claims Division I title with walk-off win

Jessica Ramos belted a two-run single to right field with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Chavez to a 7-6 victory over San Fernando in the City Section Division I softball final on Saturday at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

“She didn’t pitch me the whole game, so any mistake I was hoping to hit,” Ramos said. “They’re our new rivals. It felt good to come through for my team.”

Center fielder Viviana Villasenor went three for four with four RBIs, including a single down the left-field line to plate her team’s first run, a two-run triple in the second and a double to left in the fourth inning that increased the Eagles’ lead to 5-2.

Kailey Duran pitched a six-hitter with six walks and one strikeout for the top-seeded Eagles (23-8), who captured their fifth City title since 2015 and third in Division I. Erika Deniz doubled off the top of the fence to score the first run of the game and an RBI groundout by Melissa Cabrera made it 2-0 in the top of the first inning for No. 2- San Fernando (19-7), which was trying to avenge a 6-5 loss in eight innings March 13.

Natalia Hernandez smacked a two-run double to left to tie the score 5-5 in the top of the fifth, but Jessica Hernandez was tagged out at home by Ramos trying to score from third on a wild pitch. The Tigers regained the lead 6-5 in the sixth when Chavez third baseman Lauren Becerra dropped a routine pop up with two outs.

In the Division II final, Julie Aguilar overcame a shaky start to toss an eight-hitter and Gatailevao Leasiolagi had two hits and three RBIs, including a solo home run in the seventh inning, as fifth-seeded Verdugo Hills (16-8) captured its first section title since 1996.

Yahali Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning for second-seeded Cleveland (12-13-1).