SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : Ortega’s No-Hitter, Mallett’s Homer Propel La Habra

The exploits of her two top players no longer surprise La Habra softball Coach Sue Briquelet.

Thursday, Briquelet watched Danielle Ortega pitch her eighth no-hitter and shortstop Sara Mallett hit a game-winning, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth as the top-seeded Highlanders defeated Brea-Olinda, 2-0, in the Southern Section 4-A quarterfinals.

La Habra (25-2), in winning its 18th consecutive game, advances to Tuesday’s semifinals to face Newhall Hart, a 4-0 winner over Glendale Hoover.

“I wasn’t shocked when Sara hit the home run,� Briquelet said. “She told (teammate) Cathy Turner before the inning started, ‘Just get on, I’ll hit you in.’ �

Turner, who is hitting .700 in the playoffs, worked the count full before being walked with one out in the sixth.

After Aimee Weathers popped out to Brea catcher Bridgette Ormsby, Mallett hit Andrea Schuette’s 2-1 pitch down the left-field line past outfielder Shannon Nelson, then raced around the bases for her fourth home run.