By Loren Kopff
@LorenKopff on Twitter
The pitching was there for Norwalk High’s softball team in the first game of a doubleheader against California High last Thursday. Unfortunately, nothing else went right after that as the Lady Lancers dropped a pair of games in different ways.
Norwalk’s third and fourth errors of the game allowed the Condors to score the winning run in the top of the seventh and edge the Lady Lancers 2-1 in the opener. Then Norwalk was limited to a pair of hits and made four more errors in an 11-0 loss in the second game.
The Lady Lancers struck in the bottom of the first inning when senior shortstop Kathleen Perez singled, went to second on a wild pitch and came home two outs later on a base hit from junior first baseman Ashley Ponce. After that, the offense would be held in check by Natasha Trujillo. She allowed one more hit the rest of the game-a two-out single by Perez in the seventh, and even when she walked three to load the bases in the fourth, she got Vasquez to ground out to end the threat.
Norwalk wasted a masterpiece thrown by Vasquez, who struck out a dozen batters, just three days after striking out 13 against El Rancho High in a 7-6, eight-inning loss. In the second game, California put the game away with six runs in the second inning, four of them unearned. The Lady Lancers could only get a second inning infield hit from junior pitcher Samantha Navarrete, a fourth inning single from senior catcher Briana Lopez and walk to Navarrete in the same inning.
Norwalk (3-5 overall) would then split a pair of games in the Whittier Tournament last Saturday, blanking Bishop Montgomery High 6-0 before falling to Port of Los Angeles High 5-0. Norwalk also made up a game with Paramount High this past Wednesday and easily beat the Pirates 7-2. Norwalk will wrap up competition in the Whittier Tournament on Saturday with two games, the first against St. Anthony High.
In other softball action, Cerritos High (4-3-1, 1-0) opened up defense of its Suburban League title with an 11-1 win over Artesia High this past Tuesday. Sophomore pitcher Jennifer Morinishi pitched a two-hitter in five innings of work and struck out five and senior Alyssa Flores and juniors Destiny Lucero and Lailoni Mayfield all had a pair of hits. Both teams met again at Artesia on Mar. 24.
John Glenn High (4-4, 1-0) had no problems with Bellflower High in an 8-1 victory this past Tuesday. The rematch was on Mar. 24 at Bellflower before the Lady Eagles take part in the Northview Tournament beginning on Saturday.
Valley Christian High fell to 1-7 after an 11-0 loss to Mayfair High last Thursday. The Lady Crusaders, who have scored nine runs and been whitewashed five times, travelled to Calvary Chapel Downey High on Mar. 24.
Whitney High took advantage of some bad pitching and cruised past Long Beach Cabrillo High 13-6 last Friday. The Lady Wildcats (4-5) got only six hits but had nine batters reach on walks and another six were hit by pitches, including three straight in the top of the sixth when Whitney scored six runs. Freshman second baseman Valerie Villegas went two for three and drove in three runs while freshman pitcher Taylor Genera stuck out seven to raise her total to 59.
BASEBALL
Gahr High remained the hottest team around after doubling up Agoura High 8-4 this past Wednesday in a Redondo Tournament game. The Gladiators (7-1), who have won seven straight, will host J.W. North High today in another Redondo Tournament game before facing Elk Grove High on Monday in the first round of the Hard 9 National Classic.
John Glenn saw Bellflower push across a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning and fell to the Buccaneers 3-2 in the Suburban League opener this past Tuesday. Both teams played again at Bellflower on Mar. 24 and the Eagles will host Jordan High on Saturday and Bishop Montgomery High on Monday in pool play action of the St. Paul Easter Tournament.
Norwalk and Valley Christian are also in the St. Paul Easter Tournament with the Lancers meeting St. Bernard High on Saturday and Ontario Christian High on Monday while the Crusaders will be hosting St. Genevieve High on Saturday and St. Anthony High on Monday. V.C. is coming off a 4-0 win against Heritage Christian this past Tuesday in which senior pitcher Brett Garcia tossed a three-hitter. The Crusaders improved to 8-2 overall and 1-0 in the Olympic League and travelled to Village Christian on Mar. 24.
