SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Fritz Helps Kennedy Defeat Laguna Hills

It has been, by her own admission, an unspectacular season for Kennedy’s Laurie Fritz.

But as the afternoon drifted into evening and Kennedy exchanged at-bats--again and again--with Laguna Hills, Fritz made her season a little less mundane.

Her two-out, run-scoring single in the top of the 13th inning helped Kennedy score a 2-1 victory Monday in a quarterfinal of the Woodbridge Warrior Classic at Irvine’s Harvard Park.

Laguna Hills (9-4), previously ranked No. 8 in Orange County, dropped out of the top 10; Kennedy (12-2) moved up to No. 4 and plays Cerritos at 5 p.m. today in one semifinal. La Habra plays El Toro at 3 p.m. in the other semifinal.

Fritz, a junior second baseman hitting about .200 this season batting second in the order, also made a huge defensive contribution in the bottom of the 12th when Kennedy escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam.

“Definitely the big play of the game,” Laguna Hills Coach Cary Crouch said.

The bottom of the 12th began with Laguna Hills’ Jennifer Arzola on second base as part of the international tie-breaker rule, which went into effect in the ninth.

Jennifer Milo followed with a fielder’s choice back to winning pitcher Nicole Paloney (6-1), who was unable to throw out Arzola at third. After Milo stole second on the first pitch to Christy Journell, Paloney walked Journell to load the bases. Amber Journell then hit a low line drive that was caught by Fritz while moving to her left. Fritz then threw out Arzola at third.

Journell’s liner was Laguna Hills’ hardest-hit ball. The Hawks finished with four hits, including two bunts.

“Catching the ball was easy,” Fritz said. “The difficult part was waiting for the shortstop and third baseman to get to the bag so I could throw it.”

The third baseman, Summer Perkins, was there to receive Fritz’s throw.

Perkins opened the decisive 13th on second base, and took third on Krista Dowland’s sacrifice bunt before Fritz’s single into left field, Kennedy’s eighth hit off losing pitcher Windy Scofield (6-3).

Kristi Hensel had an RBI double for Kennedy in the second inning.