Cox’s home run blasts La Cañada softball into quarterfinals
LA CAÑADA – A majestic solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning from La Cañada High’s Devyn Cox broke up a pitcher’s duel and delivered the Spartans a thrilling 1-0 victory over visiting Maranatha in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs Tuesday afternoon.
Cox blasted a 1-0 rise ball from hard-throwing Minutemen hurler Devyn Netz into the left-field netting in front of the scoreboard to advance La Cañada to the quarterfinal round for the first time since 2014.
The Rio Hondo League champion Spartans (23-4-1), who ended the regular season ranked sixth in the division, will travel to third-seeded Mission League champion West Hills Chaminade (18-7) on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
“I was just honestly looking for a ground ball to get on and have my teammates score me,” Cox said. “It was [an] outside pitch.”
Prior to Cox’s heroics, the Spartans had limited success versus the Olympic League co-champion Minutemen (16-8).
Netz struck out eight batters over six shutout innings while stranding four runners, allowing five total hits, and leaving the Spartans 0 for four with runners in scoring position with a strikeout.
Netz’ efforts were ultimately out done by La Cañada senior pitcher Holly Stoner.
The ace tossed a two-hit shutout while striking out six, stranding six baserunners and walking three.
La Cañada’s best chance to score prior to the seventh came an inning earlier when first baseman Alex Abboud, who finished three for three, connected on a leadoff double.
Netz overcame the extra-base hit by inducing a pop up from senior catcher Taryn Harris followed by a 6-4 double play on a soft liner from Kathleen Knudsen in which Abboud leaned too far off and was doubled up.
“I’m proud of the girls because we haven’t been in the playoffs in years and we were close,” Maranatha coach Sammy Skinner said. “We were one hit away from taking the lead, but their pitcher did a great job staying on the outside of the plate and we weren’t that aggressive.”
The victory provided sweet redemption for Stoner, who watched her team lose in the first round of the playoffs in 2017 and in the second round in 2016.
“It’s amazing to finally be in the quarterfinals,” Stoner said. “We got close my sophomore year and made it to second round. It’s really cool that this is the furthest we’ve gone – the seniors.”
Stoner was most vexing in jams as she held Maranatha 0 for five with runners in scoring position with two strikeouts.
Maybe the most momentous stop came in the sixth when an intentional walk to Netz (one hit and two walks) was followed by a single from Miranda Lopez to put runners on first and second with one out.
Stoner jumped ahead of Aly Granados, who lined into an unassisted double play at first base as Abboud caught the ball and tagged the bag to escape the jam.
“Last year left a bad taste in all the older girls’ mouths and mine extremely because we lost to a team that we were better than,” La Cañada coach Chuck Gunter said. “So, that just shows you you need a little bit of luck in the playoffs.”
Twitter: @campadresports
