Girls’ Prep Player of the Week : Carpenter Already Has One Goal Nailed Down

Terry Carpenter, a senior pitcher at Edison High School, set a couple goals for herself this season.

One of those goals--to pitch a perfect game--was met in the Chargers’ season opener last Tuesday when Carpenter, The Times’ player of the week, pitched a perfect game and struck out 16 in a 3-0 softball victory over Garden Grove.

The remainder of the week also went pretty well.

Friday, she pitched a no-hitter and struck out 15 in a 1-0 victory over St. Paul. Saturday, Carpenter allowed only 2 hits and struck out 23 in an 11-inning 2-1 loss to St. Joseph.

“Hopefully, I can keep this going,” said Carpenter, a two-year starter who pitched three no-hitters and her only other perfect game last season. “It’s my senior year, so I’ve been working pretty hard.”

Carpenter admits that hard work hasn’t always been her top priority. At 9, Carpenter began playing softball behind her older sister and star pitcher, Julie.

Julie, who at 21 is four years older than Terry and a senior pitcher at Texas A&M;, used to put in many hours of practice pitching. But, in those days, Terry didn’t want any part of it.

“Everyone would say, ‘Oh, you’re Julie’s sister, you’re going to pitch, right?’ ” Terry said. “But really, I didn’t want to put all that the time into it.”

After a season at second base, Terry changed her mind. She began pitching at 11, taking lessons from her sister’s instructor, Bill Owens, a pitching coach based in Irvine.

“Terry was like any 11-year old when she first started,” Owens said. “But, in her own right, Terry was a bit more advanced than her sister because Terry started a few years younger.”

Like Julie, Terry played softball year-round. She started with Bobby Sox, then Little Miss, then played with her current American Softball Assn. traveling team, the Batbusters of Westminster.

The sisters never played on the same team until 1985, when Terry was a freshman. Julie, then a senior and an All-Southern Section first-team selection, pitched and Terry played second.

That year, Edison shared the Sunset League championship with Marina, and reached the Southern Section semifinals.

Which brings us to Terry’s other goal this season: a Sunset League championship.

“We’ve always been close, but we’ve never won it--at least not while I’ve been here,” Terry said. “I’ve been looking forward to starting the season all winter. I’ve been pitching really hard, and things hopefully will pay off.”

TOP PERFORMERS

Michele Granger, a senior at Valencia, pitched a no-hitter--the 28th of her high school career--and struck out 18 in a 9-0 victory over La Habra Monday. Granger pitched a one-hitter and struck out 15 in an 8-0 victory over Esperanza Tuesday.

Jennifer Smith, a freshman at Capistrano Valley, pitched a no-hitter in only her second high school game in a 5-0 victory over Pacifica Wednesday.

Tiffany Boyd of Woodbridge pitched a one-hitter and struck out 14 in a 1-0 victory over Buena Park Thursday.

Martha Pinto of Katella won three events in the Irvine Invitational track and field meet Saturday. A freshman, she finished first in the 3,000 meters, 1,500 meters and 800 meters.

Terry Carpenter

Edison High School

Position: Pitcher.

Height, Class: 5-5, Sr.

Last Week: Carpenter pitched a perfect game and struck out 16 in a 3-0 victory over Garden Grove Tuesday. Friday, she pitched a no-hitter and struck out 15 in a 1-0 victory over St. Paul. Saturday, Carpenter allowed only 2 hits and struck out 23 in an 11-inning 2-1 loss to St. Joseph.