By Loren Kopff
@LorenKopff on Twitter
After the breakout season that the Artesia High softball team had in 2017, the Lady Pioneers wanted to show that it wasn’t just a one-year fluke. But Artesia began this season winning three of its first 10 games.
The team, which already had two Suburban League losses by a combined score 17-3, brought out the bats against John Glenn High last Thursday and crushed the Lady Eagles 19-1. Although Artesia had 10 hits, the team was aided by a dozen walks and five hit batters by two Glenn pitchers.
Junior second baseman Natalie Luna went two for four, scored three runs and drove in a pair, freshman pitcher Shelby Hile went two for three, scored twice and had four RBI and freshman right fielder Isabel Navarro went two for two with three RBI. Also going two for two with three runs scored was sophomore shortstop Valerie Joaquin and junior third baseman Brenda Duran have five RBI. Eight of the nine starters scored at least a run and Hile gave up two hits and struck out five in five innings of work.
The Lady Pioneers, who played a pair of games in the Santa Fe Tournament last Saturday, edging Bellflower High 7-6 in one of them, will host Bellflower on Tuesday and Cerritos High on Thursday. Glenn dropped to 2-9 overall, 0-4 in Suburban League action and will host Norwalk High on Tuesday before travelling to La Mirada High on Thursday. The Lady Eagles have lost seven straight games, scoring eight runs in that time while giving up at least 13 runs in each of those seven games.
In other softball action, Cerritos, which hasn’t played since getting past West Albany (OR) High on Mar. 28, will host Mayfair High on Tuesday in its first real test in the Suburban League. The Lady Dons are 10-4 overall, 3-0 in league and have won six straight games and eight of their last nine.
Norwalk split a pair of games in the Santa Fe Tournament last Saturday, blanking San Dimas High 1-0 before dropping a 3-1 decision to Mayfair. The Lady Lancers (5-7, 1-3) have one game next week, which is the road encounter at Glenn.
Valley Christian High’s last action was last Thursday when the Lady Crusaders blanked The Webb Schools 10-0. V.C. will open Olympic League action at home against Village Christian High on Thursday while Whitney High, struggling at 1-5 thus far, will host Oxford Academy on Tuesday in the Academy League opener for both teams.
BASEBALL
The losing continues for Artesia, which had to forfeit its game against Workman High this past Wednesday in the St. Paul Easter Tournament. The Pioneers dropped to 1-15 and have scored two runs in their past seven one the field games. Artesia, already with four Suburban League losses, will visit La Mirada on Wednesday.
Cerritos wrapped up action in the AAA Division of the St. Paul Easter Tournament with three straight victories. The Dons (13-4, 2-1) got past Crean Lutheran High 5-2 this past Monday, blanked San Pedro High 7-0 this past Tuesday and doubled up St. Paul High 4-2 the next day. Cerritos will host La Mirada on Monday in a makeup game, then will visit Bellflower on Wednesday.
The up and down season continues for Gahr High, which has not been more than two games above .500 or a game under .500 in 2018. Gahr got past Mira Costa High 4-3 last Saturday and at 6-6, hosted Oaks Christian High on Apr. 5 in a doubleheader. The Gladiators will entertain JSerra High on Monday in a Newport Elks Tournament game that was rained out on Mar. 9, and then open San Gabriel Valley League play on Tuesday at home against Dominguez High.
Entering action in the Desert Cities Classic to begin the week, Glenn was on an eight-game winning streak, which included a doubleheader sweep against Montebello High last Thursday, 7-4 and 1-0. The Eagles (10-2, 1-0) will host Norwalk on Wednesday.
Valley Christian, which was also in the AA Division of the St. Paul Easter Tournament, blasted Artesia 15-1 this past Tuesday to move to 7-7 overall. Its game with Pioneer High, which was to be played this past Wednesday, has been rescheduled for Apr. 30. The Crusaders, already 0-3 in the Olympic League, will visit Mark Keppel High on Tuesday.
Whitney, also out of action since last Thursday when it dropped a 10-1 decision to Calvary Chapel Downey High, will host St. Margaret’s High on Tuesday before going on the road against the Tartans on Thursday. Whitney is 3-5 overall and 0-2 in the Academy League.
