THE PREPS : Southern Section Softball Playoffs : Ramirez’s Homer Starts La Quinta on Way to 4-2 Victory Over Tustin

Junior Chemaine Ramirez led the offense and pitcher Bobbi Cloyd took care of the defense as the La Quinta High School softball team defeated Sea View League champion Tustin, 4-2, in the first round of the 3-A playoffs Friday at Tustin.

Ramirez, hitting .348 entering the game, started off with a bang--a two-run, first-inning home run to right-center field to give La Quinta an early lead.

“We knew she was a good hitter,” Tustin Coach JoAnn Ferrieri said. “We couldn’t walk her on her first time up, so we pitched to her. And it proved fatal.”

Ramirez went 2 for 2 with a walk and three RBIs. She drove in La Quinta’s third and winning run in the third inning with a single that scored Amy Weaver. And she scored in the sixth, drawing a walk, advancing to third on an error and coming home on a fielder’s choice.

Cloyd, a junior, gave up six hits and struck out five. The only time she got into serious trouble was in the third inning, when Tustin scored two runs. Teresa Perkins reached base after Cloyd committed an error on a fielder’s choice, overthrowing second. Chanelle Chambron singled, and both Perkins and Chambron scored on Yae Kinoshita’s single.

That was the end of Tustin’s scoring. Although the Tillers had four runners on base in the second half of the game, two at third, Cloyd (9-4) stayed in control.

“She works very well under pressure,” said Rob Weil, the first-year La Quinta coach.

Tustin sophomore Shannon Ellis (8-2) gave up six hits and struck out six.

La Quinta finished the season second in the Garden Grove League, losing to league champion Kennedy by 1-0 scores twice. In a pre-league game, Tustin defeated La Quinta, 5-1, when Cloyd wasn’t pitching.

“But our entire game has improved since then,” Weil said.

La Quinta is now 16-6 and will play Diamond Bar, which defeated La Habra, 5-1. Tustin finished the season 17-5.

In 3-A softball:

Sunny Hills 4, Rubidoux 0--Amy Huett (13-9) pitched a one-hitter and struck out 11 to lead the Lancers at home. Terri Van Sickle went 3 for 4 with an RBI to help Sunny Hills (15-14).

In 2-A softball:

San Clemente 7, Orange 1--Tara Roush (10-3) scattered four hits and struck out nine to win at home. Wendy Stewart went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Shani Heinz went 2 for 3 with a run scored to lead the Tritons (20-6).

La Serna 2, Capistrano Valley 0--Lisa LaRusso went 2 for 3 to lead Capistrano Valley (17-9) at home. La Serna scored in the fourth and fifth inning.

In the 3-A division:

Don Lugo 6, Canyon 5--Host Don Lugo rallied from a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the fourth, two on a home run by Erin Walsh, for the victory. Don Lugo (22-4) scored five unearned runs. Canyon, which stranded 11 runners, closed to within 6-5 in the seventh on a bases-loaded single by Sara Roberts.

Walnut 13, Villa Park 7--Tristin Alfred hit a grand slam in the fourth to give Walnut (16-9) a 8-5 lead, and it never trailed again at Villa Park. Sara Hampton (10-4) went the distance for the victory. Sheila Till had three hits and two RBIs for Villa Park (14-14).

Kennedy 2, Saddleback 0--Cheryl Longeway (19-3) threw a two-hitter, striking out 12, to lead host Kennedy (21-5). The Irish scored both their runs in the third, as Missi Gyde singled home Kris Vucurevic and Laurie Graper then followed with a triple to score Gyde.

In the 2-A division:

Laguna Hills 4, Pomona Catholic 0--Margo Melendrez (16-8) threw a two-hitter, striking out five, to lead Laguna Hills (17-9) at La Verne University. Melendrez also had three hits and scored a run. In the sixth, Carolyn Langfield broke a scoreless tie with a solo homer. The Hawks scored three more in the seventh, two on a triple by Shelly Carey.

Woodbridge 7, Montebello 0--Tiffany Boyd (19-4) threw a no-hitter, her eighth of the season, with 17 strikeouts for host Woodbridge (22-6). She missed a perfect game because of a one-out walk in the seventh. Sue Spring was 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and scored 2 runs, and Charisse Kiino hit a two-run home run for Woodbridge.