Sylmar Plans Rematch After Staging Giveaway

After his team battled back from a two-run deficit only to lose the game on an error in extra innings, Coach Chuck Miller of Sylmar High approached Coach Neils Ludlow of El Camino Real and said, basically, see you in the City championship game.

That was quite a statement considering Sylmar, the defending City champion in softball, had just lost, 4-3, dropping its record to 2-3, including a loss to a junior varsity team.

“We’ll be there. I hope they are too,” Miller said. “I’d rather lose now when it doesn’t mean anything.”

Ludlow, however, would have none of that sort of talk. “That’s wishful thinking for both of us,” he said.

Even with the return of Beth Silverman--considered the best pitcher in the City--El Camino Real is 4-2 and had to struggle to defeat Sylmar, a team with only four returning players.

The Conquistadores won the game with two outs in the eighth when Sylmar shortstop Cindy Campbell overthrew first baseman Cherie Warren, allowing Allison Green to score. Two batters earlier, El Camino Real had tied the score on a single by Lisa Huffaker that scored Cathy Balint.

“It was a tight game. We had two or three chances to score and didn’t,” Ludlow said.

Despite striking out 11 and giving up only six hits, Silverman (4-2) was not happy with her performance. Leading, 2-0, going into the sixth, she gave up two solo home runs, first to Campbell and then to Chris Parks. Silverman has allowed three home runs this season.

“I wasn’t surprised by the home runs. I had a lot of things going through my mind,” Silverman said. “I’m still not where I want to be with my pitching. I want to be able to finesse more than having to come in with a perfect pitch.”

Said Ludlow: “She was getting the ball up a bit. I don’t know why she came up, but they really hit those.”

El Camino Real scored two runs in the first inning off Sylmar pitcher Deann Wright. Silverman singled home Green for the first run and Huffaker scored on a wild pitch.

Wright (2-3), a transfer from Kennedy, took the loss despite allowing only four hits.