La Cañada High softball slams Temple City, 10-0

LA CAÑADA — It was one of those innings that was equal parts unexpected and spectacular.

The La Cañada High softball team sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning, smacked nine hits and scored all eight runs with two outs.

The amazing effort turned a close game into a runaway five-inning, mercy-rule 10-0 victory for the Spartans over the visiting Rams in Rio Hondo League play Friday afternoon.

“I thought that the second time around in the lineup, we’d have more success against Temple City,” La Cañada Coach KC Mathews said. “But, you never expect this. That’s a very well-coached Temple City team and nobody could have predicted this.”

La Cañada (6-5, 3-1 in league) had earlier faced Temple City (3-7, 2-2) in the San Dimas Tournament and pulled out an 8-4 victory on March 6.

On Friday, the Spartans held a tight 2-0 advantage going into the bottom of the fifth and appeared destined for a sixth inning and beyond after a single from lead-off batter Alexis Abboud was followed by consecutive outs.

With two outs and Abboud on second base after a wild pitch, third baseman Sammy Jedrey started a long chain of hits when the junior ripped a 3-0 pitch over the left-center wall to give the Spartans a 4-0 lead.

“I knew that the pitcher didn’t want to walk me, so I waited for my pitch and just hit it,” said Jedrey, who finished with three runs batted in, a run and two walks. “I didn’t know we would keep hitting.”

Jedrey also didn’t anticipate another at-bat in the same inning as she first homered off Temple City pitcher Celina Mesa and then later faced reliever Angelica Wintercorn.

By the time Jedrey came up to the plate again, the game and the circumstances changed, as the Spartans led, 9-0, and had the bases loaded.

This time, a patient Jedrey bounced back from a 1-2 count to draw a game-ending walk and cap a wild inning.

In between Jedrey’s hits, the Spartans received a walk to Meghan Henry followed by singles from Abby Au, Amanda Laughon, Taryn Harris, Maddy Reilly (two runs), Abboud, Megan Reilly and Olivia Lam (three for four with one RBI) along with a pinch-hit run-scoring double from Amy Markowicz.

“We were comfortable against both Temple City pitchers,” said Abboud, who finished two for four with two RBI and a run scored. “Once we had seen each, we thought we could hit them.”

Overall, the Spartans were seven for seven with runners in scoring position in the fifth with a homer, double and eight RBI.

In the previous four innings, La Cañada was 0 for three in the same situation with a strikeout.

The Spartans scored their two other runs in the third inning thanks to some solid baserunning and some wildness on behalf of the Rams.

Maddy Reilly walked with one out, stole second and third base on consecutive pitches and scored with two outs on a strikeout of Megan Reilly that came on a wild pitch.

The wild pitch also allowed Megan Reilly to reach and eventually score in the same inning on another wild pitch.

Lost in all the offensive fireworks was a strong effort from Spartans hurler Kellyn O’Leary.

The senior tossed five shutout innings, fanning eight while allowing three hits.

While Temple City had at least one player reach base in every inning, the Rams never advanced a batter into scoring position.