EMPIRE LEAGUE SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Cypress’ Howard Stops Katella on One Hit, Strikes Out Eight

Beth Howard pitched a one-hitter and struck out eight to lead Cypress to a 5-0 victory over Katella Thursday in an Empire League game.

“That was about normal for Beth,” Centurion Coach Jim Pittinger said. “Her location was great. She was hitting spots we needed on key batters.”

Howard faced a challenge in the seventh inning. With two outs, she walked Lisa Helg and Dena Hartman, but then struck out the last batter for Katella (13-7, 7-3).

But the victory meant more to Cypress (22-6 overall, 8-2 in league play) than just a league co-championship. Centurion Coach Tom Farr died in November, and the team had a special motivation.

“From the very first, the girls dedicated this season to him,” Pittinger said. “As a matter of fact, the girls wear black armbands as a tribute to him.”

Cypress, which left men on in every inning but the sixth, scored in the bottom of the third. With one out and the bases loaded, Sarah Powers hit a fly ball to right that landed between Katella first baseman Helg and right fielder Kelsi Armbruster, scoring Holly Pittinger, who had reached base on an error by shortstop Tammy Lohman.

In the fourth, Liz Moore doubled to left field, scoring both Pittinger and Azuer Calderella. One inning later, Jodi Miller scored when a throw from third bounced in front of Helg, and Kelly Snethen scored on a wild pitch from Leslie Gerbin.

Katella’s only hit came in the top of the third, when Tonya Armbruster hit a line drive to left, but Howard struck out the next batter, and caught a pop-up bunt.

“They got the hits when they needed to,” Katella Coach Rhonda Weyer said. “We just didn’t make as much contact as they did, and when we did, it was right at them.”

In another league game:

Los Alamitos 4, Esperanza 1--Christy Bowles had three hits and scored twice and Kandi Rehard had two hits, including a solo home run in the second inning, to lead visiting Los Alamitos (18-7, 8-2).