Just Nothing Doing for La Reina : Softball: Schoales’ gem, fluky baserunning give Cerritos Valley Christian title in 10 innings, 1-0.
LAKEWOOD — Susie Schoales pitched a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts and Erin Fluck scored from first on a 10th-inning double as Cerritos Valley Christian High defeated La Reina, 1-0, in the Southern Section Division V softball final Saturday at Mayfair Park.
Valley Christian (17-4) claimed its second consecutive section title thanks largely to a mistake. With two out in the top of the 10th, Fluck, believing a steal sign had been flashed, broke for second. Mindy Hibma stroked a hit to left-center field and Fluck’s early start enabled her to beat a relay throw to the plate.
“I was hoping Mindy would swing at it,†Valley Christian Coach Eleanor Dykstra said. “At this point, it was getting late.â€
La Reina (24-6), making its first title-game appearance since 1992, might never have solved Schoales. The junior left-hander did not allow a baserunner, except for a second-inning walk to Jennifer La Femina, and retired the final 26 batters she faced.
“I’ve been through these overtimes before,†said Schoales, who posted her third no-hitter and 12th shutout. “And I’ve been good in them.â€
The no-hitter was the first against La Reina since 1993.
“No one has come close [to] shutting us down like that this year,†Coach Don Hyatt said. “She did a great job. We never really got started.â€
La Reina cleanup hitter Shane Anderson, who has signed with Stanford, squared off against Schoales four times, including inning-ending showdowns in the fourth, seventh and 10th. In the fourth, Anderson flew out deep to left. In the seventh, she struck out with a hefty swing. In the 10th, she lofted a fly to right.
“I was just trying to make contact,†Anderson said. “If it went over the fence, great. But making contact was my only goal.â€
Valley Christian, which defeated La Reina, 3-0, in last season’s semifinals, collected six hits--including three doubles--off junior Jennifer Baltruzak (18-5).
Shannon Kester led off the second with a double and Crystal Rosenthal did the same in the fourth. The Crusaders threatened repeatedly and stranded seven baserunners.
Baltruzak struck out four and walked one.
“I didn’t strike everyone out, but we played really good defense,†Baltruzak said. “You have to give them a lot of credit.â€
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