SOUTHERN SECTION 3-A SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

South Torrance 1, Capistrano Valley 0--South Torrance only had two hits, but it did have a hometown wind in its favor.

South Torrance’s Gillian Boxx hit a lazy fly to right field that looked to be the final out of the sixth inning. But the ball sailed away from Capistrano Valley’s Shelly Smith and popped out of her glove for an error, scoring Angela Bean from second base.

Throughout the game, a strong breeze blew from the West. South Torrance right fielder Tammy Hertica also made an error on a windblown fly ball, but the mistake didn’t cost the Spartans.

“Right field can be a killer in this ballpark,” South Torrance Coach Larry Lent said. “It didn’t hurt us any today, but it hurt them, and that was the difference in the game.”

It also gave South Torrance its first playoff victory in softball in 33 years. The Spartans (18-3) tied West Torrance for the Ocean League championship, but went into the playoffs as the league’s No. 2 entry after losing a coin flip.

Capistrano Valley, the fourth-place team from the South Coast League, entered the playoffs as an at-large team and finished the season at 15-11.

For three innings, Capistrano Valley freshman Daniela Hugelshofer kept South Torrance off-balance. She allowed only one hit before giving way to senior Jennifer Smith (10-10), who struck out four in three innings.

Smith gave up only one hit, an infield chopper between the pitcher and first base by Bean in the sixth. Bean advanced to second on Monica Emmrich’s groundout, then Boxx, South Torrance’s best hitter at .529, hit the fly ball that won the game.

Senior Julie DeJaifre (6-1) went the distance for South Torrance, allowing only Hugelshofer’s hit down the first-base line in the fourth. DeJaifre, who missed six weeks of the regular season with a broken bone in her left foot, struck out two.

South Torrance will play either Bellflower (22-6) or Covina (14-5) in the second round Tuesday.