‘Short Game’ Helps Hart Sprint Past Hoover in Softball

To beat Hoover High ace Nancy Evans, Hart softball Coach Al Weil knew his team would have to play the “short game” and hope for a break.

Hart, a team loaded with speedy athletes with a penchant for slap hitting and bunting, successfully implemented that plan in a 4-0 win in a quarterfinal game of the Southern Section 4-A Division playoffs.

Visiting Hart took advantage of three consecutive bunts and some breaks in the fifth inning to score all of its runs.

“You’ve just (beaten) the best pitcher in CIF (Southern Section),” Weil told his team after the game. “You guys are amazing.”

This is the first time since 1982 that Hart has advanced past the quarterfinals. The Indians (21-7) will face La Habra, a 2-0 winner over Brea-Olinda, in a semifinal Tuesday.

In the fifth, Hart loaded the bases on three consecutive bunts--a fielder’s choice, a single and a throwing error.

With one out, Cindy Abrams hit an opposite-field, bloop single just over third baseman Cynthia Cardona’s head. The ball bounced just inside the foul line past third base and kicked about 10 feet outside the line, allowing Shannon Turk to score from third.

In an attempt to throw out Tracy Clark, who was trying to score from second, left fielder Tracy Christiansen overthrew catcher Kelly Christiansen, her older sister. Clark scored on the error and Jamie Dean was right behind her to give Hart a 3-0 lead--all on one big break. “I was sending everybody,” said Weil, coaching from the third-base box. “I was coming in next. I was ready to slide myself.”

Abrams, who advanced to third on the overthrow, scored on a wild pitch.

Hart had six hits against Evans (23-4), the most she has given up all season.

“The ball had eyes for them,” Hoover Coach Kirt Kohlmeier said, “but not for us.”

Although the Tornadoes (23-4) managed only five hits off sophomore Lauren Fenstemaker (18-5), they hit the ball hard every inning.

In the seventh, Hoover had runners at first and third with one out. When Claudia Hernandez hit a fly ball to center, Emily Carlson prepared to tag. Junior center fielder Erin Hull made the catch and threw a one-hop strike to catcher Kim Neighbors to nail Carlson and end the game.