SOUTHERN SECTION 5-A SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : Adams Gets Her Pitch, Cypress Gets 1-0 Victory

Julie Adams was looking for a low pitch during the Southern Section 5-A softball quarterfinal game between Cypress and Fountain Valley.

In the bottom of the ninth with two outs, she finally got it.

The Cypress freshman, facing a 2-1 count, belted a line drive up the middle to drive in Nikki Espriu and give the Centurions a 1-0 victory at Cypress College. Cypress (23-5) will meet Kennedy in a semifinal game Tuesday.

Candy Giampapa led off the ninth for Cypress by lining out to second. Espriu reached on a line-drive single to left center. After Julie Welsch’s sacrifice advanced Espriu, Fountain Valley Coach Cary Baker called timeout to talk strategy with his pitcher, Danny Rodriquez.

“We were going to walk her (Adams), but we decided to let her (Rodriquez) pitch carefully,” Baker said. “We told her to keep the ball down. . . . That girl (Adams) did a great job.”

“I was just looking for a pitch down,” Adams said. “I like to hit low balls.”

Junior Monica Jimenez (21-4) pitched a one-hitter and struck out seven for the victory. A single to open the sixth inning by Lynea Backlund was the extent of the Barons’ offensive attack.