SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Woodbridge Finishes Fast to Win Its Own Tournament

The championship game of the Woodbridge tournament ended the way so many softball games have between Woodbridge and El Toro, two evenly matched teams. It ended in a flash.

After 6 1/2 innings of relative inactivity, catcher Anne Marie Risquez’s one-out triple scored Deanna Black from first and give Woodbridge a 1-0 victory Wednesday at Harvard Park in Irvine.

The hit preserved the second no-hitter of the season for Woodbridge right-hander Alison Ward (11-1) and gave the Warriors (18-3) their first title in their 10-year-old tournament.

Ward, selected tournament MVP after winning three games, struck out four and allowed only three baserunners--two reached base on errors and the other on a walk.

El Toro (12-7-1) advanced one of those runners to second with one out in the fifth, but she was doubled up on a line drive to Ward by Jennifer Claridge.

“This was by far (Ward’s) best game of the year,” Dugard said.

The Warriors threatened twice before Risquez’s hit, but El Toro right-hander Misty Lauby (8-3) worked out of both jams.

In the fourth, Woodbridge shortstop Debbie Nasitka had a leadoff single and, after Ward struck out, went to second on an infield hit by designated hitter Lisa Weaver. Lauby then got the next two batters to ground out.

In the sixth, Warrior outfielder Alison Johnsen bunted safely and stole second before Lauby retired the next three batters.

Woodbridge finally scored in the next inning. Risquez connected on a one-ball, two-strike pitch that went over the head of left fielder Wendi Melville.

In other tournament games:

Fullerton 1, Garden Grove 0 (9 innings)--Designated hitter Erika Velez knocked in Nicole Wangler with the winning run for the Indians (9-9) on a groundout. Right-hander Kathleen Kennedy (9-5) limited the Argonauts (11-4-1) to one hit.

Cerritos Gahr 3, Pacifica 1--The Gladiators (16-2) broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the bottom of the fifth in the consolation finals. Pacifica dropped to 12-4.

Kennedy 7, Laguna Hills 0--Center fielder Lana Jimenez went four for five and scored two runs as the Fighting Irish (12-5) took the fifth-place game. Nicole Paloney held Laguna Hills to two hits.