City 3-A Girls Softball : South Gate Wins Championship With the Help of Venice Errors

Mardre Cross had a cold earlier this week. It was nothing compared to the cold shoulder she gave Venice High School Wednesday.

The South Gate senior allowed three runs in the first innning, then only two hits in the following six innings as she led the Rams to a 7-3 win and the City 3-A softball championship at South Gate Park.

Venice’s three runs, all unearned, came on a passed ball and an error by South Gate shortstop Rosanna Carbajal. It was the only error for South Gate, but Venice made six errors--five in a five-run second inning.

South Gate had just one hit--that coming from designated hitter Valerie Limon--in the second inning. Two errors by Venice shortstop Michelle Hosen and one each by pitcher Corinne Yamane, first baseman Sandi Amador and right fielder Karin Williams all led to unearned South Gate runs.

The only earned run of the game was scored by South Gate center fielder Maria Romero on Celia Rios’ infield out.

Cross, who retired 12 consecutive batters between the second and sixth innings, said that confidence carried her after the first inning. “The cold didn’t bother me, but I was a little nervous in the first inning, but I was confident,” she said. “After I got used to her (the umpire’s) strike zone, I was real confident.”

South Gate finished the season at 13-1, while Venice was 18-8.