PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Kennedy’s Gutjahr Is the Difference

Kennedy’s Erryn Gutjahr knows what a difference a year makes. And now La Habra pitcher Dani Ortega knows all too well, too.

A year ago, when she batted only .136, Gutjahr might have been an easy out with two down in the eighth inning. Intentionally walking cleanup hitter Lisa Pitt to load the bases to get to Gutjahr would have made perfect sense.

But Gutjahr isn’t the same hitter this season, and it showed during Wednesday’s championship game of the Woodbridge Warrior Classic at Harvard Park. Gutjahr stroked a three-run triple, giving fourth-ranked Kennedy a 3-0 victory over fifth-ranked La Habra.

It is the second tournament title in three years for the Fighting Irish (13-2). The loss ended an eight-game winning streak by La Habra (12-3).

“It has been so fun to play this year,” said Gutjahr, a sophomore who entered the tournament batting .360. “Last year was so bad, and I just wanted to do the best I could this year.”

The same situation arose earlier this season in a 1-0 loss to Pacifica. Pitt was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Gutjahr grounded out.

Not this time, even though Ortega is among the county’s best.

“She gets all the headlines and things like that,” Gutjahr said. “It’s intimidating when you go against someone so good. With a good pitcher like that, we have to be patient and let her bring it to us.

“I’ve been practicing hitting to the right side of the field, and I guess it paid off. I usually pull everything.”

Singles by Lana Jimenez and tournament most valuable player Laurie Fritz, a fielder’s choice by Lisa Paloney and the intentional walk to Pitt set up Gutjahr’s heroics, a long fly ball over right fielder Brooke Koehler on Ortega’s first pitch.

“Last year, she wasn’t a threat in a situation like that,” Kennedy Coach Sue Hall said. “This year, she’s a true threat. She’s one of my more solid contact hitters.”

Ortega (12-3) said afterward that pitching four of the past five days--five games in all--took its toll in the last inning.

“The pitches weren’t moving much,” she said. “I pitched a little too much for the amount of rest I had. I threw (Gutjahr) a curve and it really didn’t curve.”

Kennedy had seven hits, including a double to left field by Gutjahr in the second inning, the only other extra-base hit of the game.

Kennedy’s Paloney (7-1) was pitching on a day’s rest. She allowed only three hits--one in each of the final three innings--and struck out 10. Like teammates Fritz, Pitt and Jimenez, she was named to the all-tournament team, as were La Habra’s Ortega, Aimee Weathers and Angie Calabretta.

In the consolation final:

Foothill 3, Fullerton 1--Amy Tessman pitched a three-hitter to lead Foothill (10-7).