Reporting from Temple City — In two meetings this season, the La Cañada High softball team has had its issues versus Temple City freshman pitcher Gillian Molina.
The youngster has used an array of pitches to confound and stifle the Spartans.
Perhaps the best piece of news for La Cañada, though, is that Molina has only been the second-best pitcher on the diamond.
While offense took a while to get going, the visiting Spartans again relied on the steely pitching of junior Holly Stoner, who fanned nine batters in La Cañada’s 3-1 victory Friday afternoon.
Join the conversation on Facebook »
1/17
La Cañada’s Emily Tinkham tags out Temple City’s Codi Weisz for the final play of the game in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
2/17
La Cañada’s Holly Stoner winds up a pitch in the second inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
3/17
La Cañada’s Alexis Abboud gets a hold of a pitch and hits it deep for a triple in the sixth inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
4/17
Looking at coach Chuck Gunter, La Cañada’s Maddy Reilly air shakes his hand after hitting an RBI single in the sixth inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
5/17
La Cañada’s head coach Chuck Gunter makes a lineup change in the seventh inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
6/17
La Cañada’s Emily Tinkham makes a throw from shortstop in the seventh inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
7/17
With a runner on third base, La Cañada’s Maddy Reilly hits an RBI single to break a six inning 0-0 stalemate against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
8/17
La Cañada’s Alexis Abboud rounds first base on her way to third with a lead-off triple in the sixth inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
9/17
La Cañada’s Abby Au makes a play while playing up at third base on an infield ground ball hit by Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
10/17
La Cañada’s Meghan Henry looks back at her coach for instructions in the fifth inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
11/17
La Cañada’s Dianna Carranza slides to the ground just missing a catch in the first inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
12/17
La Cañada’s pitcher Holly Stoner smiles as second baseman La Cañada’s Alexis Abboud wishes her well at the start of the game against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
13/17
La Cañada’s Meghan Henry hits a single in the fifth inning against Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
14/17
La Cañada’s Abby Au turns a little late to tag Temple City’s Elliana Zellien at third base in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
15/17
La Cañada’s Emily Tinkham hangs onto second base while sliding safely into a double against Temple City’s Amber Arreola in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
16/17
La Cañada’s Alexis Abboud makes a catch at second base of an infield fly ball hit by Temple City in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
17/17
La Cañada’s pitcher Holly Stoner turns and throws out a Temple City runner at first base in a Rio Hondo League softball game in Temple City at Temple City High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. La Cañada won the game 3-1. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
The win was the 17th in a row in league for the Spartans (12-3, 8-0), who sit 2 1/2 games ahead of idle Monrovia (10-9-1, 5-2).
While Spartans Coach Chuck Gunter was happy with the win, the second-year coach was also relieved to have Stoner on his side.
“It’s a blessing to have Holly, but it’s also bad because sometimes the girls rely too much on her to get them out of jams,” Gunter said. “It really makes coaching easy for me knowing she can be relied on.”
Stoner allowed one run on five hits and utilized her strikeout capabilities when they were most needed.
With the Spartans leading, 3-0, Temple City (4-12, 3-5) mounted its best offensive surge in the bottom of the sixth when Juliette Marini (two for three with a run and two stolen bases) singled, stole second and advanced to third after a walk and groundout.
Temple City’s Amber Arreola drove home Marini on a sacrifice fly for the second out, while Hailey Fawk moved to third after a stolen base.
Stoner walked Temple City’s next batter but escaped without further damage when she struck out Taylor Rose looking.
“Temple City has good hitters throughout the lineup and there’s no easy part,” Stoner said. “I couldn’t let up and depended on my defense to make plays behind me.”
Stoner’s only other difficult inning took place in the first when Marini singled, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice.
Stoner struck out Temple City’s Codi Weisz before coaxing an inning-ending infield pop up to end the threat.
While Stoner was baffling Temple City hitters, Molina was putting on her own show.
The Temple City hurler had a no-hitter against La Cañada broken up in the sixth inning in the Spartans’ 2-0 home victory on April 5 in the teams’ first meeting.
This time around, Molina surrendered her first hit when Emily Tinkham doubled with one out in the fourth.
Even so, the Rams freshman didn’t allow a run in the inning and scattered two hits through five innings before the Spartans’ bats came to life in the sixth.
La Cañada junior Alexis Abboud singled to lead off the sixth and moved to third base on a fielding error.
Maddy Reilly broke a scoreless deadlock with a run-scoring single up the middle. Tinkham followed with a single, which was matched by a run-scoring single from Gillian Arnold to put La Cañada up, 2-0.
Taryn Harris finished the inning’s scoring when she grounded out to second base, which allowed Tinkham to score the Spartans’ third run.
“That at-bat was my third time seeing her and the third time for the rest of the girls, so we were better prepared,” Abboud said. “We were looking for one pitch and were waiting for that.”
andrew.campa@latimes.com
Twitter: @campadresports
