Softball: Petty’s pitching puts Pirates on pace for their 15th City title

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Topping what she did last season won’t be easy, but Taylor Petty is well on her way. Last year, she posted a 22-2 record and threw a two-hit shutout in the finals as San Pedro won its 14th City Championship in May. Turns out, Petty was just getting warmed up.

According to MaxPreps, heading into Thursday’s Marine League contest against Washington, the Pirates’ ace pitcher was 13-1 with 13 complete games, eight shutouts, 133 strikeouts and nine earned runs allowed in 90 innings. The Long Beach State-bound senior is a big reason why her team is ranked sixth in the Southland by The Times and is favored to capture its eighth section title in nine years and 15th overall.

Petty’s only hiccup came at the Downey tournament against No. 4 La Palma Kennedy when she was rocked for six earned runs and 12 hits in a 6-3 loss. All that did was prove she’s human despite career statistics that seem to suggest otherwise. Before today she boasted a 75-8 won-loss mark and a school-record 911 strikeouts--numbers that’ll grow even gaudier by the time her prep days are done.

-- Steve Galluzzo

-- Image by Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times