THE PREPS : Girls’ Athlete of the Week : Ward Leads Sunny Hills Offense to Fast Start

Kelly Ward may be the ultimate fast starter.

Only a sophomore, she is among the county leaders in stolen bases with 18.

Ward, The Times’ athlete of the week, stole three bases, scored three runs and went two for three to help Sunny Hills High School score a 4-1 Freeway League victory over Troy last Tuesday. On Thursday, she got one hit and another stolen base in a 1-0 league victory over La Habra.

“Usually, when she is on base, I immediately think, ‘Have Kelly steal’ because she does have the speed to get the extra bases and advance,” Sunny Hills Coach Sheri Lazzarini said. “If I can get her on second, there is no problem. She is going to score on a base hit because she has the speed.”

In league play, she leads her team in on-base percentage at .469, and her batting average is .363. Ward, the Lancers’ leadoff batter, calls it a coincidence that she leads the team in stolen bases.

“It just happened,” she said. “It is not something that I strive for. It’s just they tell me to steal, so I try my hardest. And if I get there, I get there.”

What she does strive to do is get on base.

“I feel like it is my duty,” Ward said. “I feel a lot of responsibility is on me. I get upset when I don’t get on, but I just tell myself I will try harder next time.”

She is quick and aggressive and does not hesitate when she is given the signal to steal, Lazzarini said. Well, she doesn’t hesitate much.

“I get really anxious and I am apprehensive because if you leave too early (under the rules), you are out,” Ward said. “That scares me. So I wait on the bags a little longer, and that slows me down.”

TOP PERFORMERS

Freshman Desi Abrego (15-2) had six strikeouts and no walks en route to her fourth no-hitter of the season for Saddleback in a five-inning 13-0 Sea View League softball victory over Corona del Mar Wednesday.

Nikkani Andrew hit a three-run homer, her fourth home run in the past four games, for Saddleback in a 13-0 victory over Corona del Mar Wednesday.

Jennifer Brundage pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts and hit a two-run homer to help Irvine to a 4-0 victory over El Toro Friday.

Alison Campbell pitched a no-hitter to lead Los Amigos over Pacifica, 2-0, in a Garden Grove League softball game Tuesday.

Santina Dalligatta pitched a no-hitter, striking out 10, in Connelly’s five-inning 10-0 victory over Sacred Heart in a Sunrise League softball game Wednesday. Dalligatta had two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs in the game.

Allison Franke won the triple jump (37-feet 2 1/2-inches), 110-yard low hurdles (15.9 seconds) and the discus (148-6 1/2) to lead Canyon to an 85-42 victory over Santa Ana in a Century League track and field meet.

Jennifer Harney of Esperanza threw the discus a school-record 115-4 1/2 Wednesday in Esperanza’s 69-53 Empire League victory over Loara. Harney broke Stacy Neumeyer’s record of 110 feet set last year.

Shauna Scollick won the 100 butterfly (1:09.2) and the 100 backstroke (1:07.05) for Villa Park in the Spartans’ 98-57 victory over El Modena in a Century League swim meet Wednesday.

Jennifer Smith pitched her second no-hitter of the year to lead Capistrano Valley High School to a 1-0 victory over San Clemente Friday.

Kelly Ward

Sunny Hills High School

Position: Center field

Height, Weight, Class: 5-3, 105, Sophomore

Last Week: Ward stole three bases, went two for three and scored three runs in a Freeway League victory over Troy and stole her 18th base in a league victory over La Habra.

Season: Ward leads her team in stolen bases and on-base percentage. She has scored 12 runs and is hitting .363.