Sylmar Reaches 4-A Softball Final

In an unlikely conclusion to her team’s 10-5 victory over Banning in a City Section 4-A softball semifinal Wednesday at South Gate Park, Sylmar shortstop Teri Klement was embraced by Banning Coach Carol Cox.

No, it wasn’t Cox’s way of bidding good riddance to Klement, who is headed to Colorado State on a scholarship next fall. Cox simply wanted to congratulate her friend on a well-played game.

The two became friends last summer when Klement was playing for the Ball Hawks, an American Softball Assn. team, with two of Cox’s players from Banning--second baseman Debbie Martinez and catcher Sheree Corniel.

Earlier, Klement had managed to put friendships aside with three hits, including a triple and her fifth home run of the season, and four runs batted in.

Klement seemed as relieved to be hitting the ball safely again as she was anxious about the opportunity to meet El Camino Real for the City title next Wednesday at Cal State Northridge.

“I was popping out a lot,” Klement said. “I hate to pop out. Or I’d hit it to somebody. It was like ball had eyes.”

To shake her slump, Klement sought advice from Sylmar baseball Coach John Klitsner and her brother, Tim, a senior catcher for Occidental College. She also went to a batting cage to refine her swing.

It worked.

In the first inning, Klement tripled in Michelle Blaha to cut Banning’s lead to 2-1.

Then Sylmar added six runs--all unearned--in the second inning to take a 7-2 lead. Second baseman Cindy Campbell doubled in two runs and three batters later, Klement hit a three-run home to account for most of the damage.

“I told the girls she’s ‘meat pitching,’ ” Klement said of Banning left-hander Kim Park. “She doesn’t throw too hard.”

Sylmar had 11 hits to go with five Banning errors. Blaha had 2 hits and scored 3 runs, Christy Robbins had 2 hits and scored 2 runs and Cindy Campbell drove in 2 runs for Sylmar (13-4).

Right-hander Deanna Monroy allowed 4 runs, 6 hits and walked 2 in 4 innings to raise her record to 12-3. Monroy wasn’t happy about giving way to reliever Chris Parks, although she didn’t pout for long.

In the sixth inning, Monroy caught a fly ball, then threw out Debbie Martinez out at the plate trying to score from third.

“She’s just a hard competitor,” Tumin said of Monroy. “She fought back really hard. She’s a fighter.”