PREP ROUNDUP : Lauby Extends Her Streak With 6th Shutout in Row

Misty Lauby pitched her sixth shutout of the season, helping El Toro to a 6-0 victory over Irvine in a South Coast League softball opener Tuesday at Irvine High.

Lauby (6-2) struck out five Vaqueros and has not allowed an earned run in her past 70 innings. Irvine (6-3, 0-1 in league) came close to ending her streak, leaving runners on base--two on third--in five innings.

El Toro (7-6-1, 1-0) scored single runs in the first and second innings, then added three in the third.

With the bases loaded and one out in the third, Wendi Melville came through with the inning’s big hit--a double to right field that scored Debbie Davis and Tricia Bulkeley. Irvine’s Rebecca Smith then walked Jaime Smith to load the bases, and Jenny Claridge’s fielder’s choice grounder scored Melville.

“I don’t think we’ve scored more than three (runs) yet, so it was nice to unload a little bit today,” El Toro Coach Jim Daugherty said.

The Chargers added their final run in the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Lauby hit Carrie Caudill on the leg with a pitch. Caudill stole second, reached third on a throwing error by Jaime Smith, but that was as far as she got.