Bean Pitches One-Hitter, but South Falls to Saugus : Softball: Wild pitch in sixth inning proves to be Spartans’ undoing in Southern Section 3-A Division playoff game.

With a little luck, anything is possible.

Just ask Saugus High softball Coach Ron Hilton, whose team scored on a wild pitch Wednesday to beat host South Torrance, 1-0, in a second-round game of the Southern Section 3-A Division playoffs.

Saugus managed only one hit against sophomore right-hander Holly Bean (6-8), but that single set up the game’s only run.

“We’ve been real lucky all year,” Hilton said. “Our attitude was not conducive to winning today--we were really flat. Something was really off.

“But I’ll take it.”

Saugus scored in the sixth after Jeanine Giordano, a freshman who bats ninth in the order, lined a leadoff single to right-center.

Hilton quickly pulled Giordano in favor of pinch-runner Shana New, who went to second on Kerri Volpe’s groundout and advanced to third when second baseman Angie Bean bobbled Kim O’Leary’s grounder.

The first pitch to Corrine Ochoa, the next batter, landed on the plate and bounced around and past South Torrance’s tiny backstop. The umpire ruled it a dead ball, and New scored automatically.

Luck had nothing to do with the strong pitching performance of senior right-hander Kerry Coudry, however.

Coudry (20-3), who faced only three batters over the minimum, threw a two-hitter, did not give up a walk and struck out 11.

The only jam Coudry faced came in the fourth. Bean led off with a single and Nicole Odom reached on a dropped fly ball. But with runners at second and third and one out, Coudry struck out the next two batters.

“She’s been consistent for us all year,” Hilton said. “She’s really carried us.”

Saugus (24-3) will play Golden League-rival Canyon in Friday’s quarterfinals. South Torrance, the third-place team from the Pioneer League, finished 13-11.

“For us to be as competitive as we were, it was a great outing for us,” South Torrance Coach Larry Lent said. “I’m really proud of them.”

Canyon 3, Torrance 1--Keri Lemasters had two hits to lead the host Cowboys in a second-round game of the Southern Section 3-A Division playoffs.

Lemasters, a junior, led off the fourth and sixth innings with singles and scored in both innings. Canyon (18-8) scored twice in the fourth to erase a one-run deficit and added another run in the sixth.

Junior right-hander Marianne Winchester (13-4) allowed five hits, struck out four and walked none. Canyon will play Golden League rival Saugus on Friday at 3 p.m. at a site to be determined.