On May 5, the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) softball team laced their cleats in preparation for the final game of the regular season against Carpinteria High School (Carpinteria). In dominant fashion, the game was called in the fifth inning due to the mercy rule as Foothill Tech won the contest 15-0.
“We’re really excited and happy to end our season off with a good win. We went in with high hopes and good confidence and we’re able to execute all the hard work we put in and left it all on that field.” Liliana Gonzales ‘27 said.
Following a scoreless first inning from both teams, Foothill Tech practically shut the door on Carpinteria in an impressive second inning where the Dragons tacked seven runs onto the scoreboard by way of four hits, including an inside-the-park home run by Alinah Rodriguez ‘27.
“I’m happy we were able to end the season strong. It shows how much we’ve grown as a team and how hard everyone’s worked all season,” Jaylee Espinoza ‘26 said.
Foothill Tech followed their dominant second inning with a third inning that sealed the game at 15-0. The inning was highlighted with the continued impressive hitting performance by Rodriguez as she was able to bat in three runs on a triple.
Mackenzie Warren ‘29, the starting pitcher for the Dragons, was able to close out the game against Carpinteria on a strikeout after completing all five innings on 63 total pitches. Facing no hits nor walks, Warren threw the first perfect game of her high school career.
With the win, the Dragons evened out their record with 10 wins and losses each, a slight improvement from the 2025 spring season.
“We all feel like [this season] was much better than last year, and we all connected more. This year, our mindsets have more determination. We really locked in this season knowing that we might’ve had a chance at [the playoffs],” said Gonzales.
Although the regular season for Foothill Tech may be over, the Dragons look forward to May 11, when it will be determined if their season will be extended into the California Interscholastic Federation playoffs, a goal for many teams around the state.
“As a senior, having the chance to play in CIF is really exciting. I know as a team we’ve put in the time and effort to get us here. It truly means a lot to keep the season going and compete with my team a little longer,” Espinoza said.
