Dos Pueblos Gets Drop on Burroughs

Jerry Libman asked only one thing of his Burroughs High team when he announced his intention to retire after this, his 13th season as softball coach.

“I told them that if we were going to lose my last game I wanted to get beat,” Libman said, “not give it away.”

He was denied his final request Tuesday when Burroughs gave away a game it should have won--a nine-inning, 2-1 decision to Dos Pueblos in the second round of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs in Burbank.

In winning a share of the Foothill League title, Burroughs became accustomed to watching opponents make the kinds of critical mistakes it committed against Dos Pueblos (25-3)--the most costly a dropped popup by second baseman Shari Magness that allowed the tying run to score in the fifth inning.

“We knew it would probably be a 1-0 game,” Libman said, referring to an anticipated pitching duel between Christy Alves of Burroughs and Andrea Serrano of Dos Pueblos. “And it would have been if we had caught that popup.”

Alves was nearly untouchable for the first four innings, allowing one walk and a third-inning single by Tracy Gore. She was staked to a 1-0 lead in the third when Magness singled with two outs and scored on a triple by first baseman Barbara Hofer.

But that lead was erased in the fifth when Alves surrendered a leadoff single before retiring the next two batters on a sacrifice and a strikeout. She then induced Ruth Parsons to pop up to the right side of the infield, where Magness called off Hofer but dropped the ball, allowing Sarah Lick to score.

“The mistake was the girl getting a hit,” Alves said in defense of Magness.

Alves (15-4) struck out 12 and allowed three hits. She issued four walks, one of which led to her downfall.

“I usually have a lot of walks,” Alves said. “I try not to walk the leadoff batter in an inning. If I give up a two-out walk, it’s usually no problem.”

Except in this game. With two outs in the ninth inning, Laurie Ross, who returned to the lineup via the re-entry rule, drew a walk and went to second on a passed ball. O’Hanlon followed with a single to score the eventual winning run.

Burroughs (20-4), which managed seven hits, missed several opportunities against Serrano (24-3).

With two outs in the fourth, Dina Larson singled, Alves was safe on an error and Tonya Staab beat out a grounder to load the bases. But Serrano retired Leigh Hacker on a fielder’s choice to end the threat.

In the Burroughs eighth, Hofer led off with an infield hit. After Jacqie DeLange struck out, Kim Powers beat out a grounder to short but Hofer overran second base and was tagged out.

And in the ninth, Alves singled with one out. She became the final out of the game, however, when she was caught trying to steal second after Staab struck out.