Aragon tops rival Hillsdale in Big Game's return to Chanteloup Field

Both of Tran’s defensive gems were on screaming line drives back to the mound. The first was in the sixth, the other in the seventh to end the game. And not only did her instincts with the glove help keep her safe in the circle, Tran’s pitching and defensive excellence helped deliver the Lady Dons to a 4-3 victory.

“She has an extraordinary reaction time,” Aragon first baseman Marlena Marshall said. “She is one of the most skilled players out here. She gives everything her all. She’s not scared of anything.”

It helps that Tran takes her defense seriously. The junior has to if she wants to see the field when Aragon starting pitcher Rae D’Amato is in the circle. Tran started Friday’s game in center field before taking over at pitcher in the third inning.

“I just really love making the play myself,” Tran said. “I don’t like being a [pitcher only], so I like to get some work in myself, just getting pop flies and groundballs on my own. So, I train myself a lot as a pitcher, not just for pitching but for fielding as well.”

In a game exemplified by the potent bats of Aragon’s senior sluggers Liv DiNardo and Megan Grant, it was Tran’s pitching that stole the show. And it doesn’t hurt the junior left-hander has such a happy-go-lucky air when she’s pitching. This is true even after fielding scorching line drives back to the circle.

Even after the two hot shots to Tran, she was smiling and laughing just after the plays were made.

“Every ball that’s hit to get, she’s smiling,” Marshall said. “Even if she misses it, she’s just always bubbly and cheery — and thankful she didn’t get hurt.”

DiNardo and Grant certainly had their say in the game’s outcome though.

DiNardo opened the game with a walk and later scored on a line-drive single by Grant. Then in the seventh, with the Dons clinging to a 3-2 lead, DiNardo gave her team some breathing room by cranking her third home run in two days, a lofty solo shot to left-center field to make it 4-2.

The bottom of the Aragon batting order produced the other two runs in the second. After Brooklyn Blake reached on a two-base throwing error, Caroline Harger drew a walk. Blake went on to score on an RBI groundout by Marshall, and No. 9 hitter Morgan Marburger drove home Harger with a single.

Hillsdale led briefly after the opening frame thanks to Kristen Conliffe’s two-run double in the first. The Lady Knights wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the seventh on senior Alex Bunton’s RBI single to right-center, scoring Claire Shelton all the way from first base.

During the game, the two dugouts couldn’t have been more contrasting in temperaments. Aragon is routinely businesslike in its approach, while Hillsdale chirps and chants with such regularity, it’s a wonder why they don’t get into a recording studio to cut a music album.

“My voice is gone already,” Bunton said. “I know we have a lot of lost voices tonight.”

This is par for the course in Aragon-Hillsdale matchups.

“Hillsdale always had more spirit than us as a school in general,” Tran said. “We have a more laidback team … so we really try to get pumped up but, of course, we can’t compared to Hillsdale.”

With Aragon and Hillsdale both headed to the Central Coast Section playoffs — Aragon wrapped up the PAL Bay title earlier this week, and Hillsdale finished in a third-place tie with Carlmont — the two teams were still caught up in the emotion of Senior Night following the game.

“I loved it,” Bunton said. “Even though it was a rough ending … I had a blast. All my best friends are here and a feel like I played my heart out.”