PREP ROUNDUP : Fountain Valley’s Rice Shuts Down Huntington Beach

Contending for the lead in what might be the most balanced softball league in the county, host Fountain Valley defeated Huntington Beach, 1-0, Thursday behind a near-perfect outing by right-hander Rae Rice.

Huntington Beach (10-10, 6-2 in league) entered the game with a half-game lead in the Sunset League over the Barons (16-3, 7-2), the fourth-ranked team in the county. But the Oilers ran into an overpowering Rice.

Actually, it was a game neither pitcher deserved to lose.

The Barons scored the only run in the bottom of the first inning.

With one out, third baseman Jennifer Allchin singled to center and moved to second on an error by third baseman Amber Allen, who threw wide of first after fielding Danelle Lovetro’s sacrifice bunt. An infield hit by shortstop Shannon Dolan loaded the bases and, after Rice struck out, Allchin scored on freshman Jennifer Noffsinger’s wild pitch.

Rice (13-2) retired all 18 batters she faced through six innings, including 11 on strikeouts, before Huntington Beach leadoff batter Danielle Bowman broke up the perfect game with a bunt single to open the seventh. Noffsinger (6-7) then was called out for being hit with the ball out of the batter’s box--a play that was hotly disputed by Oiler Coach Dave Parmenter, who was ejected during the argument.

Shanen Kreipl lined a single to center field, but Rice got cleanup hitter Dana Jahr on a fly to center and April Crosby on a grounder to third.

In Angelus League softball:

Mater Dei 1, Rosary 0--Marie O’Beck drove in the game’s only run with a single in the first inning for the Monarchs. Jennifer Clark (7-2) pitched a three-hitter and struck out five for Mater Dei (14-4, 5-0).

In Century League softball:

Foothill 3, El Modena 0--Leeann Gonzalez (13-2) struck out seven and allowed four hits in her ninth shutout of the season for visiting Foothill (16-2, 6-0).

Canyon 2, Villa Park 0--Sara Roberts (12-1) pitched a one-hitter, striking out five and walking three, and Maureen Del Mazzio singled, stole second and scored on Nina Lindenberg’s single in the sixth inning for host Canyon (18-3, 5-1).

In Garden Grove League softball:

Garden Grove 10, Los Amigos 0 (five innings)--Duffy White pitched her first no-hitter, striking out nine for visiting Garden Grove (15-5, 10-0). Michelle Cash had a home run in the first inning for Garden Grove.

In Orange League softball:

Brea-Olinda 1, Western 0 (10 innings)--Samantha Cardenas scored on a throwing error with two out in the top of the 10th inning for Brea-Olinda (12-6, 6-0).

In Pacific Coast League softball:

Trabuco Hills 8, Costa Mesa 1--Danny Rodriguez (4-5) pitched a two-hitter, had 14 strikeouts and walked none for Trabuco Hills (14-10, 6-0). Christie Lunceford had three hits, scored and had one RBI.

Laguna Hills 9, Century 1--Sauci Hayes had a double and a single with two RBIs and Torin Lee (7-4) gave up one hit in six innings for Laguna Hills (11-6, 5-1)

In Olympic League baseball:

Whittier Christian 19, Capistrano Valley Christian 0--Steve Little pitched a no-hitter and Jim Moulton hit for the cycle for the visiting Heralds (12-5, 8-2).

Little, a right-handed senior, struck out nine and walked two and Moulton was four for six with three RBIs.

In Sunset League golf:

Marina 191, Ocean View 222--Dan Dalton and Brian Rea each shot par 36 for Marina (15-0, 8-0) at Mile Square Park.

Huntington Beach 374, Westminster 412 (18 holes)--Scott Gibson shot a one-over 71 for Huntington Beach (14-1, 7-1) at Meadowlark.

In Orange League golf:

Western 193, Brea-Olinda 205--Tiger Woods shot par 34 at Dad Miller for Western (12-4-1, 7-1), which won a share of its first league championship. Woods, a freshman, has been a medalist in 22 of 26 rounds this season for the Pioneers, who finish the season with a match against Servite at the Catalina Island Golf Club today.

In Sea View League golf:

Corona del Mar 234, Tustin 264--Steve Bemis shot a seven-over 43 for Corona del Mar (12-4, 6-2), which won the league championship.

In nonleague golf:

Laguna Beach 206, Orange 218--Jonah Tatch shot a two-under 30 for Laguna Beach at Aliso Creek.

In Pacific Coast League badminton:

Estancia 13, Costa Mesa 6--Doan Nguyen and Cam Tu Tram earned two points in girls’ doubles for host Estancia (16-0, 10-0).