Southern Section Softball Roundup : Granger’s 8th No-Hitter Gives Valencia 1-0 Victory

Valencia High School’s Michelle Granger threw a no-hitter Wednesday to lead the Tigers to a 1-0 victory over Hacienda Heights Wilson in the second round of the Southern Section 3-A softball playoffs at Valencia High.

Granger, a sophomore left-hander, struck out 11 and walked none (two Wildcats reached on errors) in recording her eighth no-hitter of the season. Two of those were perfect games.

Valencia (15-8), which advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals against Sunny Hills, scored its only run in the second inning when Julie Cunningham reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on Linda Sanchez’s sacrifice, and scored on Krista Caudle’s single to center field.

In other 3-A second-round games:

Woodbridge 1, Bolsa Grande 0--Sandra Schoonover walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice and scored on Jenny Allard’s double in the sixth inning to lead the top-seeded Warriors (21-3) over the Matadors at Woodbridge High. Patti Russell pitched a complete game to improve to 8-1.

Garden Grove 3, Redlands 0--Leslie Osterman pitched a complete-game, three-hitter with nine strikeouts to help the third-seeded Argonauts (19-9) win at Redlands. Garden Grove scored two runs without the benefit of a hit in the first inning and added another run in the fourth when April Spurlock, who had three hits, doubled and scored on an error. The Argonauts will play Crescenta Valley in the quarterfinals.

Estancia 2, Workman 0--Tammie Kane threw a three-hitter, and the Eagles (16-7) scored runs in the third and fifth innings to defeat the Lobos at Estancia High. Successive singles by Shannon Suzuki, Kelly Kane and DeNesha Pierce produced a run in the third and Kim Braatz walked and scored on a passed ball in the fifth. Estancia will play Sonora Friday.

Sunny Hills 3, Covina 0--Ruby Flores pitched a complete game on a two-hitter and struck out eight to lead the fourth-seeded Lancers at Covina High. Sunny Hills (15-3) scored three runs in the third inning--two on errors and one on Gina LoPiccolo’s RBI single.

Sonora 1, La Mirada 0--The Raiders shut out the Matadores at Sonora High and will play Estancia in the quarterfinals.

Arcadia 4, Fullerton 2--The Apaches defeated the Indians at Fullerton High to advance to the quarterfinals against top-seeded Woodbridge.

In 2-A second-round games:

El Toro 1, Mary Star 0--Janis Okerlund, who has signed a letter of intent to attend Cal State Fullerton, pitched a complete-game, one-hitter and struck out 11 to lead the second-seeded Chargers (21-5) past the Stars (19-3) at El Toro High.

Ali Gibson’s RBI single in the fifth inning scored pinch-runner Dawn Kluegel with the game’s only run. Kluegel had replaced Okerlund, who singled with one out. Claudia Sandino then walked, and both runners advanced on Tanya McKinley’s sacrifice bunt. Sandino, attempting to score on Gibson’s hit, was thrown out at the plate. El Toro will play Diamond Bar in the quarterfinals.

Mission Viejo 6, Ontario 3--Krissy Schroeder went 2 for 4 and hit a bases-loaded triple in the first inning to help the Diablos defeat the Jaguars at Ontario High. Renee Pina added two hits and scored two runs, and Jenny Heydt pitched a five-hitter with seven strikeouts for Mission Viejo (13-9), which will play Arroyo in the quarterfinals.

Norco 1, Laguna Hills 0--The Cougars eliminated the Hawks at Norco High to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals, where they will play top-seeded Charter Oak.