SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : 5-A ROUNDUP : Rice Throttles Mater Dei in Baron Victory

Fountain Valley pitcher Rae Rice struck out eight, walked two and did not allow a hit until the second-to-last batter as the Barons advanced in the Southern Section 5-A playoffs with a 6-2 victory over Mater Dei Thursday at Fountain Valley.

Fountain Valley (21-4) faces Buena (21-6) Tuesday in the semifinals. The Barons scored two runs in the first inning. Shortstop Shannon Dolan reached first on an error by second baseman Dawn Kobata. Rice singled to left and first baseman Michelle Kravick tripled Kobata and Rice home.

In the bottom of the third, Denelle Lovetro walked, Dolan singled down the third-base line and Rice (17-3) walked to load the bases. Amy Godwin relieved Mater Dei starter Jennifer Clark, and Lovetro stole home on the first pitch, while the others advanced. Godwin struck out Kravick, but designated hitter Jody Bixler’s single turned into a three-run error by right fielder Terry Kobata, who let the ball bounce past her.

It was Bixler’s first game back since she sprained her ankle in the third league game. Mater Dei scored two in the seventh. Marie O’Beck walked and Godwin doubled to right. Both runs scored on an error by right fielder Carla Jacobs.