Bosanko provides Falcons unlikely power source in win over Wolves

No. 9 hitters don’t often show off their power.

Once in a while, though, they’re able to have an impact on a softball game.

Foothill’s Palmer Bosanko did both in the biggest way possible Wednesday.

Bosanko belted a two-out grand slam in the second inning, erasing a two-run deficit and keying the host Falcons’ 11-2 win over Basic.

“I use that as a leadoff hitter-type of position,” Foothill coach Tom Mayes said of his No. 9 spot. “Palmer just had a great swing. Where it came from, I don’t know, but everything was perfect for her.

“It was the jolt in the arm we needed.”

The Falcons (9-3, 3-0 Southeast) started flat and were fortunate to be trailing only 2-0 after 1½ innings.

Basic (7-3, 2-1) pounded out five hits in the first two innings and stranded four runners in scoring position as Falcons starter Alex Petrolia needed 55 pitches to get the first six outs.

Foothill loaded the bases on a pair of softly-hit singles and a one-out walk in the second before Madison Pike grounded into a fielder’s choice that forced Rhiana Balaun at home.

Bosanko, a junior, then laced the first pitch she saw over the fence in left-center field, flipping a switch that suddenly sparked Foothill’s offense.

“It went from night to day,” Mayes said. “We needed something to get us fired up, and that was it. It turned everything around.”

Hanna Russo and Chelsi Stewart added RBI doubles in the inning, increasing the lead to 6-2.

Petrolia allowed only one hit and a hit batter over the next three innings, and Foothill pulled away using a run-scoring single by Stewart and a two-run double by Balaun in the fourth to put the game away.

Stewart and Balaun each had three of the Falcons’ 13 hits. Russo and Pamela Sakuma each added two hits for Foothill, which took over sole possession of first place in the Southeast League, one-half game ahead of Green Valley.

“It’s a nice start,” Mayes said. “Hopefully they don’t think too much about it. It’s early yet. The league has a lot of parity, so anything can happen.”

Tiana Tapuala was 3-for-4 for Basic.