SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : Irvine’s Brundage, Meith Too Tough for Lakewood

Jennifer Brundage and Karissa Meith were too much for the Lakewood High School softball team to overcome as Irvine defeated the Lancers, 5-1, in the second round of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs Tuesday at Heritage Park in Irvine.

Brundage, a senior right-hander, limited Lakewood to three hits and Meith went two-for-three with two runs batted in to help Irvine advance to Thursday’s quarterfinals against Sunny Hills.

Lakewood (17-7) scored in the seventh inning, but it was too little and too late. Irvine (22-3) was in control of the game from the second inning.

With one out in the second, Meith had a line-drive single and scored on the play when the ball got past center fielder Cynthia Kotsier for a three-base error. The junior second baseman also had a hand in Irvine’s rally in the third inning.

Samantha Lutsch opened the inning with a single to right and Angela Wolf bunted for a hit. Brandi Armstrong, who went two for two, sacrificed and Brundage was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Shelley Byrd forced Brundage at second with a groundout, scoring Lutsch and advancing Wolf to third. Meith followed with a two-run triple to the gap in left.

Irvine added a run in the fifth when Armstrong reached on an infield single and Brundage tripled to deep left.

Meanwhile, Brundage (18-2) had a no-hitter until the sixth inning, when Athena Morales, the No. 9 batter, led off with a sharp single to right. However, she was stranded at second.

The Lancers broke through in the seventh on two base hits and a fielder’s choice for their run. The sudden awakening of the Lakewood bats didn’t faze Irvine Coach Lisa Limp.

“I wasn’t worried,” she said. “The team just relaxed too much.”

Brundage finished with seven strikeouts. Right-hander Amy Deshay (12-3) went the distance for Lakewood.

In other 4-A games:

Sunny Hills 4, Rowland 2--Sunny Hills (16-10) scored three runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by Stacy Thurber’s two-run infield single. Thurber had three hits and three RBIs, and Bernie Sancuberta (9-7) pitched a complete game.

Arcadia 2, Savanna 0--Despite the loss, Leigh Sager (14-7) broke school records for strikeouts in one season (160) and lowest earned-run average (0.26.).

Foothill 4, Riverside Poly 1--Christina Mazurie hit a two-run home run in the first inning for second-seeded Foothill (22-2).

In Division 1-A:

Whittier Christian 3, St. Bonaventure 1--Deborah Goddu (10-0) pitched a three-hitter, striking out five and walking none.