On the road for one contest, the Escalon Lady Cougars softball team handed Kimball a 9-6 setback on May 18.

“It took us until the fifth inning to get on the scoreboard to tie the game, 3-3,” said head coach Jeff Borden. “We scored two in the sixth, they scored three to go up 6-5.”

Finding themselves down a run headed into their final at bat, Escalon did what they have done all season long: found a way.

“Needing at least a run to extend the game, Emily Vickers started the inning with a hit and after two fly outs we were down to our last out and senior Malia Babasa extended the game with a hit,” Borden explained. “Briana Vazquez came to the plate and got a hit to tie the game. Macie Vickers then hit the top of the fence for a double, driving in two more.”

That gave the Lady Cougars an 8-6 edge. Brooke Davis got a hit to drive in Macie Vickers but was tagged out trying to advance to second.

That still saw Escalon with a 9-6 lead headed to the bottom of the seventh.

“Kimball proceeded to load the bases with two outs, and Brooke Davis got a strikeout in the most crucial moment like she has all year,” said Borden.

The strikeout sealed the victory, leaving the bases full of Lady Jaguars.

The Lady Cougars are set to play their final game of the season on May 26, traveling to Rainbow Fields for a 3:40 p.m. start time against Central Catholic.

At the JV level, the young Lady Cougars team tied Manteca 6-6 in a May 14 game and then battled hard but took a 13-10 loss to Kimball.