Softball: La Palma Kennedy battles rain, beats Wilson

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The Fighting Irish needed no luck -- they’re just good.

So is Allee Allen.

The left-hander notched her 18th win of the season as La Palma Kennedy beat Long Beach Wilson, 5-1, after enduring two rain delays in a Southern Section-Toyota Division II quarterfinal game. ‘The weather was distracting, but I managed to stay focused,’ Allen said.

The Fighting Irish will play the winner of the Ayala-El Modena quarterfinal, which has been postponed until Friday, in a semifinal game on Tuesday.

Allen, who will play college ball at Oklahoma, struck out five, gave up six hits and an unearned run and improved to 18-2 as she battled raindrops from the fourth inning on. ‘She was huge,’ said Kennedy Coach Jami Shannon. ‘She kept her composure through the bad weather.’

The Irish, who fell to the Bruins in a tournament game last month, fought at the plate as well. Elia Reid had a two-run single and Ashley Hewett, Kimberly Frazier and Jamia Reid each had an RBI hit. ‘We came through with clutch hits,’ Shannon said. ‘Last time we played them, we stranded a lot of runners.’

Wilson Coach Tim Rother glanced over to the celebrating Irish. ‘I hope they win it all,’ he said, ‘They’re a good team.’

Yes, a good team with a great ace.

-- Anthony Stitt