Softball: There were times Norco played with two left feet

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Norco was kicking itself after kicking the ball around on Saturday following its 4-1 loss to Oceanside El Camino in the championship of the Michelle Carew Classic.

The Cougars (18-4), No. 4 in The Times ranking, had a chance to go undefeated. Instead, they were beaten on a night when they managed only one hit and committed three errors, two in the decisive seventh inning when El Camino (15-4-1) scored its final three runs.

‘They’re a very nice hitting team,’ Norco Coach Rick Robinson said of El Camino, which had six hits and 14 strikeouts against pitcher Teagan Gerhart. ‘They put the ball in play. One through 9 in the order, they’re as good as anybody out there. We just forgot how to play defense.’

A single, an error on a bunt single, a hit batter, and a double with an error were responsible for the final three runs that Norco allowed.

‘We played four great ball games and didn’t seem mentally ready to play tonight,’ Robinson said. ‘Teagan pitched well. We didn’t execute offensively or defensively when we needed to.’

After beating Don Lugo in the opener, 7-3, Norco -- ranked No. 4 by The Times -- defeated No. 5 Ayala, 3-1; No. 18 Vista Murrieta, 1-0; and No. 12 Long Beach Wilson, 8-0.

Norco’s only hit was a one-out RBI triple by leadoff batter Nicole Sappingfield, and the Cougars left six runners on base -- including Sappingfield. Norco struck out only two times.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.cnusd.k12.ca.us