PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Fountain Valley Deals Marina First League Loss

In her fourth Sunset League game of the season, Fountain Valley pitcher Deborah Harrelson held off Marina, 2-1, Friday to hand the Vikings their first league loss of the season.

Harrelson took over the starting role after pitcher Danny Rodriguez quit the program. Friday, Harrelson faced a seventh-inning, bases-loaded no-out situation and hardly flinched. She got Becky Tackett to pop up, threw out Becky Thompson at home and got Marcy Crouch on a pop fly.

Coach Cary Baker could hardly contain himself. “Oh my, that was great,” he said. “For the last four games we’ve had an incredible team effort. We’ve reached back like I’ve never seen in 14 years. It’s really great to be around.”

Marina (14-3, 8-1) scored first when Crouch doubled home Tackett, forcing the Barons (17-5, 10-2) to play catch-up until the fourth inning.

Lynea Backlund singled to right, and Jennifer Allchin prepared to sacrifice her to second. Allchin bunted, and infielder Lynette Velasquez appeared to scoop up the ball and tag Allchin on the way to first. But the ball was still in the dirt, so Backlund went to third. Laurie Gillis struck out and Alicia Burdick singled in Backlund.

With two out and two on in the fifth, Gillis singled to center fielder Robyn Yorke, who threw to second as Backlund was sliding into the base. The ball hit Backlund and rolled away as she sat on the bag, allowing Danelle Lovetro, who had walked, to score.