As the San Rafael High softball team approached the halfway point of the season on Tuesday, one thing was clear — if the Bulldogs wanted to stay in the MCAL title race, they had to travel to Larkspur and hand Redwood its first league loss of the season.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a four-run lead but needed starting pitcher Thomara Drummer to navigate a trio of difficult innings to see out the victory. Drummer came up with six crucial strikeouts over the last two innings — including two with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh — as San Rafael held on for a 4-3 victory.

“This win was huge,” San Rafael shortstop Sophia Everett said. “It boosted us and it felt really good, especially since they beat (Marin Catholic) and we lost to MC.”

Drummer cruised through the first four innings then RBIs from Cassidy Kaplan and Gabby Rodriguez in the top of the fifth gave San Rafael (8-2, 5-2 MCAL) a 4-0 cushion going into the bottom of the frame.

Redwood (9-4, 6-1), which had been limited to a pair of singles to that point, got its offense going with a leadoff double by Kait Christensen followed by an RBI single from Stella Belluomini to cut the lead to 4-1.

“At first we started off a little flat but I felt like we responded in the fifth inning,” Redwood coach Emily Atkinson said. “Our girls stepped up and they kind of changed the energy a little bit.”

Redwood continued to put the ball in play against Drummer but Everett made a spectacular play to help shut down the Giants’ fifth inning. Lily Cox hit a hard ball toward Everett, who climbed the ladder for the catch then made a strong throw to double up the runner at first base.

“That felt huge,” Everett said. “(The Giants) were starting to get some momentum and I feel like that was a pretty good momentum stopper.”

Hailey Carlton singled then Elle McElreath doubled as Redwood kept the inning going but Drummer induced a come-backer and threw to first for the third out to end the threat.

Redwood put together another rally in the sixth with leadoff singles from Ava Brown and Gia Meyers. Drummer, who had surrendered six hits and a hard-hit double play ball over her past eight batters, dug deep to ring up two strikeouts before Belluomini singled again to cut the lead to 4-2.

Drummer, who only had two strikeouts entering the inning, was visibly fired up after striking out Maizy Crawford and Christensen back to back. After Belloumini’s single, Drummer struck out the side to end the inning.

“I’ve known the whole team [Redwood] basically my whole life and specifically Maizy,” Drummer said. “I practice with her a lot. She’s a great hitter. She’s a great player overall and (that strikeout) was a lot for me.”

Redwood mounted an even more serious threat in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with one out.

Meyers laced a single into left field to cut the lead to 4-3, leaving Drummer to face the heart of the order with no margin for error.

Drummer struck out Crawford for the second out on a high fastball that required catcher Angel Amesa to make strong defensive play to keep the called third strike in her glove and keep the tying run at third.

“(Amesa) knows when I throw high I tend to throw it more up so I can get more spin on the ball and if she needs to get up there, she will,” Drummer said.

With two down, Drummer battled Christensen during a lengthy at-bat that saw Redwood’s catcher foul off a number of tough pitches. Drummer eventually prevailed, striking out the side again in the seventh before being mobbed by her teammates in celebration.

Drummer gave a lot of credit for her flurry of crucial strikeouts to Amesa.

“(Amesa) calls my pitches,” Drummer said. “She’s my best friend. I’ve known her since I was like five years old so she knows me on a deep level. So wherever she puts the glove, I pitch it right there.”

All told, Drummer scattered 11 hits and allowed three earned runs with eight strikeouts. She also helped her own cause with three hits and a trio of big defensive plays. Drummer started a double play with Everett in the second inning, caught a line drive right at her off Carlton’s bat in the third, and made a sprawling catch along the first-base line in the fifth.

“We’ve been training for like three weeks for this game and it was a bummer it got canceled last week and that made us a little bit more prepared but we did it,” Drummer said.

Redwood got two hits apiece from Brown, Meyers, Christensen, and Belluomini.

San Rafael’s first two runs came in the third inning after Everett drew a walk and stole second before Drummer drove her in then scored herself following a throwing error. Everett had two hits, a walk, stole four bases, and scored twice.