Pitchers Usually Ahead of Hitters on This Diamond : Top players: Foothill senior Leeann Gonzalez is perhaps the best among county’s bumper crop of quality hurlers.

Pitchers make up not only the most crucial component of a softball team, but also a sizable portion of our list of the top Orange County high school players to watch this season.

And if they perform as they did last year, when there were more than 50 no-hitters recorded by county pitchers, the new season promises to be another struggle for batters.

Here’s our list of some of the leading players in the county:

PITCHERS

Desi Abrego, Saddleback senior--She led the county with three perfect games last season and posted a 0.45 earned-run average with 211 strikeouts. The right-hander was an All-Sea View League selection.

Kelsi Armbruster, Katella junior--One of the reasons Katella advanced to the Southern Section Division 5-A semifinals last year was Armbruster’s play. She was 9-2 with a 0.47 ERA. Her biggest victory was a 1-0 triumph over Kennedy, then ranked second in the county, in the first round of the playoffs.

Caroline Dolan, Los Alamitos junior--With three no-hitters to her credit last season, the Griffin right-hander returns to lead her team in battle with Katella for the Empire League title. Dolan was 7-3 with 97 strikeouts in 1991.

Leeann Gonzalez, Foothill senior--The right-hander, a Times’ All-County selection last year, is arguably the best high school pitcher in the county. She was 21-3 with a 0.31 ERA, 153 strikeouts and five no-hitters, a county high. Gonzalez led the Knights to the section Division 4-A title game, where she lost to Irvine, 1-0, on an unearned run in the first inning.

Danielle Ortega, La Habra junior--Another Times’ All-County pick in 1991, Ortega accounted for 19 of her team’s 20 victories last year. The right-hander had a 0.23 ERA, 145 strikeouts and three no-hitters. She is one of the reasons La Habra ranks among the county’s best teams.

Kim Taylor, Garden Grove senior--A right-hander with several effective pitches, Taylor follows in the tradition of outstanding pitchers at Garden Grove. A Times’ All-County pick last year, she was 13-4 with a 0.48 ERA and two no-hitters. She defeated former Kennedy ace Cheryl Longeway twice last season, helping the Argonauts win the Garden Grove League title.

Alison Ward, Woodbridge senior--Does possession of a 0.37 ERA, 89 strikeouts and two no-hitters make a solid pitcher? That’s what Ward accomplished last season in helping the Warriors to the Sea View League title and the quarterfinals of the section Division 3-A playoffs.

Other pitchers to watch:

Brianna Burkman (Trabuco Hills junior), had impressive season as sophomore, striking out 166 batters and posting a 0.53 ERA. . . . Jennifer Clark (Mater Dei junior), right-hander had 75 strikeouts in 1991. . . . Tammi Dowlin (Ocean View senior), had one no-hitter and a 0.33 ERA as a junior. . . . Karen Jacobs (Canyon senior), won four games and had a 0.43 ERA as backup to Sara Roberts last year. . . . Monica Jimenez (Cypress junior), had a 0.23 ERA with three no-hitters and 76 strikeouts last year. . . . Kathleen Kennedy (Fullerton senior), was only 10-8 but the right-hander pitched three no-hitters, had a 0.85 ERA and was second in the county in strikeouts with 219. . . . Misty Lauby (El Toro sophomore), right-hander struck out 104, had a 0.72 ERA and threw one no-hitter. . . . Destiny Mollison (Rancho Alamitos junior), played on a so-so team last year but struck out 189 and threw three no-hitters. . . . Stefanie Noffsinger (Huntington Beach sophomore), had a 0.56 ERA, 134 strikeouts and two no-hitters before the playoffs. . . . Jennifer Surface (Pacifica senior), pitched five no-hitters last year, including two perfect games. . . . Stacy Washington (Woodbridge senior), had a 9-1 record with a 0.41 ERA and 42 strikeouts last season.

CATCHERS

Jennifer Cline (Mater Dei senior)--One of the best hitting catchers in the county, Cline batted .314 last season despite having teams pitch around her. Monarch Coach Cathy Quesnell calls Cline the best defensive catcher in high school. “There’s nobody better in Orange County and nobody better that I’ve seen outside the county,” Quesnell said.

Kelley Green (Foothill senior)--A left-handed catcher with a good bat, Green hit .397 with 14 runs batted in last season. She was a Times’ All-County selection.

Christy Lunceford (Trabuco Hills senior)--Another Times’ All-County pick in 1991, Lunceford batted .427, knocked in 30 runs and stole 21 bases.

Other catchers to watch:

Danielle Bowman (Huntington Beach senior), All-Sunset League selection last year when she batted .352. . . . Kim DeMayo (Newport Harbor sophomore), another lefty behind the plate who batted .317 last year. . . . Lesley Haynes (Laguna Hills junior), batted .271 and had a .920 fielding percentage last year. . . . Jennifer Johnson (Garden Grove sophomore), didn’t do much with the bat last season (.118), but few are as effective with the glove. . . . Maegan Juggert (El Toro senior), led county in triples with six, batted .267 and had a .955 fielding percentage.

INFIELDERS

Samantha Cardenas (Brea-Olinda junior)--The All-Orange League shortstop was high on the list of the county’s leading batters last season with a .442 average. She also had four triples.

Nina Lindenberg (Canyon sophomore)--An excellent all-around player, the All-Century League shortstop batted .400 with 19 RBIs and 19 runs scored last season. Lindenberg anchors the infield of a Comanche team that hopes to challenge powerful Foothill for the league championship.

Tammy Lohmann (Katella senior)--She is seeking a second consecutive county batting title after hitting .541 before the playoffs last year. The Times’ All-County shortstop and Empire League most valuable player leads the Knights in quest of a second consecutive league title. Lohmann also had three home runs in ’91.

Sara Mallett (La Habra senior)--A great defensive second baseman with a lot of pop in her bat, Mallett was a Times’ All-County player last year after batting .414 with two home runs and 20 RBIs for the Highlanders. She also stole 18 bases.

Danielle McLeod (Kennedy senior)--One of the top batters in the county, the third baseman hit a team-high .393 last year.

Kelly White (Garden Grove senior)--Though probably headed to Utah as a shortstop next season, White starts at second base for the Argonauts. She batted .324 and was an all-league pick last year.

Melissa Wielandt (Foothill senior)--Already an accomplished third baseman, Wielandt moves her Times’ All-County glove to shortstop this season to fill the void left by Kathy Shortall (now at Orange Coast College). Wielandt hit about .320 and committed only three errors in 69 chances last year.

Other infielders to watch:

Jennifer Allchin (Fountain Valley junior), carries the highest batting average (.311) of the returning Baron players and has sure hands at third base. . . . Melissa Benbow (Katella junior), batted .382 last year. She and Lohmann form an outstanding left side of the infield for the Knights. . . . Leah Braatz (Estancia junior), a versatile player who will see action at third base, catcher and pitcher. She returns after batting .444 last year. . . . Keirith Briesenick (Mission Viejo senior), an All-South Coast League shortstop who batted .320 last season. . . . Jennifer Milo (Laguna Hills), a steady bat (.328) and good glove at first base (.953 fielding percentage). . . . Karen Nichols (Bolsa Grande senior), left-handed-hitting shortstop batted .367 for the Matadors as a junior. . . . Shelby Olmstead (Los Alamitos sophomore), second baseman batted .315 for the Griffins in 1991. . . . Cathy Turner (La Habra junior), batted .350 and had a .925 fielding percentage at third base.

OUTFIELDERS

Lisa Dacquisto (Ocean View junior)--A Times’ All-County pick, the speedy left-handed center fielder batted .478 and stole 22 bases in 1991.

Carly Girton (Irvine senior)--The switch-hitting right fielder hit .408 for the section Division 4-A champions last year.

Lana Jimenez (Kennedy junior)--One of several key returners for the Fighting Irish, the speedy Jimenez batted .381 last year and did not commit an error in center field.

Alison Johnsen (Woodbridge sophomore)--Blazing speed on the basepaths made it easy for the center fielder to steal a county-high 37 bases last season and helped her hit .339.

Alycia Stevens (Laguna Hills sophomore)--An All-Pacific Coast League choice at center field, Stevens batted .338 and had a .986 fielding percentage last season.

Robyn Yorke (Marina junior)--The center fielder batted .474 for the Vikings last year and was an All-Sunset League selection.

Other outfielders to watch:

Stephanie Euzebio (Woodbridge sophomore), batted .371 for the Warriors last year. . . . Danelle Lovetro (Fountain Valley junior), returns after hitting .282 last year. . . . Lisa McCracken (University junior), a first-team All-Sea View League center fielder in 1991 who batted .290 and did not commit an error.