COLLEGE SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : NAIA DISTRICT 3 : Cal Lutheran Ace Responds to the Call, 3-1

Wendy Olson fielded the question with the deftness of a politician at a debate.

Is DeeAndra Pilkington the best pitcher on the Cal Lutheran softball team?

“Each one has a special talent, but I always pitch her in the toughest games,” answered Olson, the Cal Lutheran coach.

Pilkington, a sophomore right-hander, responded when Cal Lutheran needed a win Friday. She tossed a two-hitter in the Regals’ 3-1 victory over The Master’s College in the first round of the NAIA District 3 softball playoffs at Cal Lutheran.

A confident Pilkington (11-5) struck out four and stifled the Mustang bats. She allowed two singles and gave up Master’s only run on a walk and a throwing error in the sixth inning.

“They know I’m the No. 1 pitcher to go out and do the job,” Pilkington said.

For Olson, however, the decision to start Pilkington was not so obvious.

Cal Lutheran has two strong freshmen pitchers in Leslie Stevens (8-1) and Rosa Jimenez (9-5). Stevens’ loss was to Chapman, a Division II team, in the Cal State Northridge tournament. Jimenez has a 1.86 earned-run average.

But no matter which pitcher started, it was unlikely that Olson would be let down in the crucial tournament opener; Cal Lutheran led the Golden State Athletic Conference in ERA (1.53).

“Maturity-wise, she (Pilkington) was probably the best for the situation,” Olson said. “She’s a sophomore with postseason experience.”

Pilkington’s strong outing overshadowed Master’s Michelle Vail, a freshman right-hander who has an 0.93 ERA in district play.

Vail (9-8) allowed five hits, three in the second inning when Cal Lutheran staged a two-run rally. Vail walked two in the inning, including a bases-loaded pass to Pilkington that forced home Cal Lutheran’s first run. Jill Anderson followed with a run-scoring single up the middle.

The Regals added a run in the fourth on Teri Rupe’s single to left that scored Kelly Ingram, who had walked and advanced on another walk and a sacrifice bunt.

Mindee Burrows walked and scored Master’s run on a two-base throwing error by Anderson, the second baseman. Kathy Hotchkiss bunted and Anderson took the throw at first, then wheeled and threw wildly into left field attempting to double up Burrows at second.

The Regals (29-13), the top-ranked team in the district, play Cal Baptist (23-22), ranked second, today for a berth in the championship game. If Cal Lutheran wins, it will play again at 1 p.m. for the title.

In other tournament games:

The Master’s 3, Azusa Pacific 1--Fran Souza tripled home one run and scored another, and Michelle Vail pitched a complete game in the consolation-bracket game.

Shelly Richardson, who reached base on an error, scored on Souza’s triple. Souza then scored on Susie Sparks’ sacrifice fly to left.

The loser of the Cal Lutheran-Cal Baptist game will play Master’s at 11 a.m. today.

Cal Baptist 2, Azusa Pacific 1--Mindy Tummler scored the go-ahead run from third base on Gina Eckles’ bunt single as the Lady Lancers rallied for two runs on four hits in the second inning.

With the Cougars leading, 1-0, Alison Danchak and Tummler both singled and Danchak scored the tying run on Kelly Donohue’s single that sent Tummler to third. Tummler scored on Eckles’ bunt to the left side of the infield.