Rutgers commit Ryann Orange leads Torrance to 3-2 Regional semifinal win over Bonita

TORRANCE– With a CIF SoCal Division 2 finals appearance on the line on Thursday, Ryann Orange what she's done all season long – both pitch and hit the Tartars to victory.

The Rutgers signee pitched a two-hitter and drilled a game-winning solo shot in the sixth inning as Torrance defeated Bonita 3-2 at El Camino College.

Orange and Bonita ace Brooklyn Shroyer dominated for 4.5 innings before the Tartans broke the stalemate against the Southern Section Division 3 champion. In the bottom of the fifth, Alesa Gonzalez drove in Kara Caropino and Kaitlyn Wynla with a two-out bloop single to left field to give them a 2-0 lead.

With Orange working on a no-hitter, Bonita went to a pair of freshman reserves in the top of the sixth, and its offense responded. Camryn Van Valkenberg came off the pine to end Orange's no-hit bid with a single, and Audrey Garza, another pinch hitter, drew a walk. Alyssa Doucette drilled a triple to score them and tie the game, and with zero outs, the Bearcats appeared to be ready to take control of the game. 

But Doucette was thrown out on the base path on a ground ball, and Torrance got out of the inning without any further harm done. That gave Orange the opportunity to retake the lead herself with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and she did just that – smashing a one-run homer that would prove to be the game-winner.

Bonita battled in the top of the seventh. Mireya Rico reached on a ground ball that was ruled an error but the result of a hard-hit ball. With two outs, Van Valkenberg reached base for the second time by drawing a walk after fouling off several pitches with two strikes. But with the tying run in scoring position and go-ahead run on base, Orange continued lighting up the bottom of the strike zone like she had all game, and got the Tartans out of the predicament.

For Orange, it was one of her best outings of the playoffs, and it was greatly aided by an outstanding defensive performance from the Tartans. Torrance moved to 26-8 and will host Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista on Saturday in the CIF Southern Regional Division 2 title game on Saturday.