SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS : 5-A SOFTBALL SEMIFINALS : Single Run Enough to Advance Cypress

Capitalizing on uncharacteristically sloppy defense by Kennedy’s infielders, the Cypress softball team took advantage of an error and a timely double in the fourth inning to win, 1-0, in a Southern Section 5-A semifinal game Tuesday at Cypress College.

The victory advanced the Centurions (24-5) to the championship game against Simi Valley Saturday night at Mayfair Park in Lakewood. Simi Valley eliminated top-seeded Mater Dei, 2-0, in the other semifinal.

It will be the first trip to the finals for Cypress since 1987, when the Centurions beat Thousand Oaks, 5-0, for the 4-A title.

It also will be the first section final for Janelle Frese, Cypress’ second-year coach. She took last year’s team to the quarterfinals, where the Centurions were eliminated by Ventura Buena.

“We had lots of goals this year, one of which was to qualify for CIF,” Frese said. “Never take it to the field unless you want to win.”

The Centurions took it to the field consistently in the early innings, putting the ball in play against right-hander Nicole Paloney (10-3) and watching the Fighting Irish (22-7) self-destruct with their fielding miscues.

Kennedy committed five errors, all in the infield, to allow Cypress plenty of scoring opportunities in the first three innings. The Centurions advanced a runner to second with two outs in the first inning, a runner to third with one out in the second and another runner to third with one out in the third, but they could not score.

In the fourth, however, Cypress finally cashed in on Kennedy’s last error.

After Liz Moore grounded out to open the inning, pitcher Monica Jimenez (22-4) reached first on an error by freshman shortstop Lisa Pitt. Christa Saindon followed with a line drive that sailed over the head of Kennedy left fielder Danielle Evers and rolled to the 210-foot sign on the left-field fence, scoring Jimenez. A relay from Pitt to third baseman Danielle McLeod cut down Evers at third as she tried to stretch the double. That probably saved another run for Kennedy, because Candy Giampapa singled to left two batters later.

Besides their problems in the field, Kennedy could do little offensively against Jimenez. A junior right-hander who has pitched four consecutive shutouts, she limited the Fighting Irish to four hits--three in the infield--walked one and struck out seven.