Softball: Can Long Beach Wilson find the luck of the Irish again?

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I must admit that I normally root for any team with the nickname the Fightin’ Irish. Maybe it has to do with my Belfast ancestry.

The Fightin’ Irish of La Palma Kennedy will play host to Long Beach Wilson in the Southern Section-Toyota Division II quarterfinals Thursday at 3:15. Wilson is also pretty easy to root for. In a tournament game last month, the Bruins -- as immense underdogs -- beat the juggernaut Irish, who had won 15 out of 16 to start the season.

The Bruins (22-8) also have an affable coach, Tim Rother.

Can Rother’s team do the improbable -- beat Kennedy (28-3) twice in one season? ‘Obviously, if you have done it once, you can do it again,’ he said. ‘And, if you want to win the title, you want to beat the best teams possible.’

Wilson will have a good chance to beat one of the best with Linzy Rother starting in the circle. She has won her last two starts, giving up only one earned run over 14 innings.

-- Anthony Stitt