The Preps : SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : 3--A : Roush Pitches 1-Hitter; San Clemente Wins, 1-0

Kathy Johnson doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday to give San Clemente High School a 1-0 victory over University in a Southern Section 3-A first-round girls’ softball playoff game at San Clemente.

Johnson’s game-winning hit supported the one-hit pitching of Tara Roush (9-6), who struck out eight, to pick up the victory that advances San Clemente (12-13) to Tuesday’s second-round game against West Torrance, a 1-0 winner over Laguna Hills Tuesday.

University sophomore Shareen Patton (11-7) retired the first 17 batters she faced before Kim Denyer ruined her perfect-game bid by lining a single to right.

“She just threw the ball right up the middle and it was ready for me to hit it,” said Denyer, who was 0 for 25 in South Coast League play.

Patton, who retired the next eight batters after Denyer was caught stealing to end the sixth, also yielded a single to Denyer with two outs in the ninth. Denyer, who stole second, came around to score when Johnson slammed a 2-2 pitch through the right-center field gap for the game-winning double.

University (15-9), which played without its leading hitter, freshman Thea Curtis (flu), got its only hit off Roush in the top of the first on Lakita Johnson’s two-out single. After that, the Trojans didn’t have another base-runner until Roush walked Lisa Anthony with two outs in the seventh.

In other 3-A softball:

El Toro 3, Tustin 1--Junior Paige Lauby (13-7) pitched a one-hitter, striking out seven and walking none, to lead El Toro (13-8) at Tustin (17-8). Jaime Smith had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run for El Toro, which will play Montclair (22-4) in a quarterfinal game Tuesday.

Irvine 3, Mayfair 0--The host Vaqueros (19-7) scored three unearned runs in the third inning to beat Mayfair (15-10). Jennifer Brundage pitched a three-hitter, struck out six, walked one, and also went two for three with a run scored for Irvine, which will play Saddleback (24-4) Tuesday.

Mission Viejo 4, South Torrance 1--Mission Viejo, an at-large team from the South Coast League, upset host South Torrance (14-5), the winner of the Ocean League. Erin Fitzgerald (9-4) pitched four-hitter and Michele Daugherty hit a two-run home run for the Diablos (15-8), who will play top-seeded La Mirada Tuesday.

Saddleback 2, Woodbridge 0 (10 innings)--Desi Abrego pitched a five-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks for visiting Saddleback (24-4). The Roadrunners scored twice in the 10th on a bases-loaded dropped third strikeout with two outs.