SOUTH COAST LEAGUE SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : El Toro Upsets Irvine in Opener

After losing to unranked La Habra High School in the quarterfinals of the Canyon softball tournament, El Toro Coach Jim Daugherty castigated his players, saying they showed a “lackadaisical attitude, quit when they got behind and played like they were 44th not fourth-ranked in Orange County.”

Tuesday, Daugherty was all smiles after El Toro, which had dropped to ninth in the county coaches’ poll, upset defending South Coast League champion Irvine, 1-0, in the season opener for both schools at Heritage Park in Irvine.

It was only the second loss for Irvine (11-2), the county’s second-ranked team. Irvine’s other loss was to top-ranked Mater Dei.

“We really just did stupid things (against La Habra),” Daugherty said. “We weren’t focused. It helps in preseason to get your fanny knocked around a little bit. I don’t mind (my team) getting knocked around and getting the message that this isn’t going to be a cake walk.”

Daugherty’s team got the message. Especially senior Paige Lauby, who pitched a two-hitter with 15 strikeouts against an Irvine team that includes .500-hitter Jennifer Brundage, Sam Lutsch (.464) and Karissa Meith (.355).

Brundage (10-2) pitched a one-hitter for Irvine with a walk and four strikeouts.

Lauby (7-0) had Irvine’s batters chasing her rise ball in and out of the strike zone, but they rarely caught it. “The rise is my best pitch and they always seem to swing at it,” Lauby said.

El Toro scored in the first and Lauby and the defense made the run stand up. Corrie Yauney led off with a bunt down the first-base line that was ruled a single.

“It was an umpire error,” Irvine Coach Lisa Limp said. “The girl was out by three feet and they called her safe--and that’s the run that scored.”

Said Daugherty with a grin: “It was a base hit wasn’t it? That’s what the umps called it. Whether it was or whether it wasn’t, you’ve got to live and die by what the umps call. But we’ll take the break. We took advantage of it. We got her home and Lauby handled Jennifer (Brundage) in crucial situations.”

After Yauney reached base, Karie Yoshioka sacrificed her to second. Yauney then stole third and scored on a passed ball for the game’s only run.

Lauby gave up her first hit--a leadoff single to Brundage in the fourth with no outs, but she struck out the side. Alleah Poulson reached base for Irvine in the sixth with a one-out single. But Brundage lined out to third and Lauby struck out Brandi Armstrong.

In other league games:

Capistrano Valley 3, San Clemente 2 (eight innings)--Jennifer Smith drove in a run with a single in the eighth inning and visiting Capistrano Valley held on for the victory. San Clemente tied in the seventh when Jenny Humboldt reached base on a bunt single, took second on a passed ball, stole third and scored after a wild pickoff attempt by the catcher.

Mission Viejo 3, Dana Hills 1--Kerin Dull pitched a one-hitter for host Mission Viejo (9-3, 1-0).