Live Oak comes all the way back

Spirits were high and the crowd was loud as the 2005 District 2 Little League Junior All-Star Softball Championship hung in the balance Sunday night.

On one side Live Oak; on the other, Sutter Area. Each had one win against the other.

Rachel DeWitt had a great day on the mound, leading Live Oak in a 6-1 victory over Sutter Area. She pitched a three-hitter with five walks and four strikeouts.

DeWitt allowed only five runners to reach second.

"Knowing that my team is always behind me and they can make the plays no matter what," DeWitt said about the key to her success.

"We were just on tonight. We were just there," Live Oak manager Latrisha DeWitt said.

Live Oak opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI-single by Zulma Ortega.

Sutter Area tied the game in the top of the second as Kaylin Bybee, who had walked to start the inning, scored on a Live Oak error.

The rest of the night belonged to Live Oak, which staved off elimination Saturday night by defeating Sutter Area, 15-5.

Live Oak added three runs in the bottom of the second. Elizabeth Sandoval doubled in the rally and Tera Sizemore knocked in a run with a single. The other run came in on an error.

Live Oak padded the lead with one more in the fourth and one in the sixth.

Sutter Area did threaten in the sixth, loading the bases one out, but DeWitt ended the inning with two strikeouts.

Lyndsey Sizemore was 2-for-2, including a triple, and knocked in two runs, while her sister, Tera, finished 3-for-4.

Sutter Area pitcher Kelli Ziegenmeyer gave up seven hits. She struck out seven and walked only three.

The game ended with a strong show of sportsmanship as players from both teams came on to the middle of the field to congratulate each other.

Live Oak is headed to Redding for the Little League Sectionals starting Saturday.

Appeal-Democrat sports assistant Shawna Sullivan can be reached at 743-0512.