COMMUNITY COLLEGE STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Title Isn’t Everything to Palomar’s Ward

For Palomar College pitcher Kim Ward, winning the State softball championship ranks far down the list as far as achievements are concerned.

Ward pitched a five-hitter as Palomar beat Cypress, 3-1, in the title game Sunday at The Evans Sports Complex in Riverside. After the final out, Ward, 27, was met on the field by her husband and two children.

“This is a really great feeling,” Ward said about the victory. “But in terms of my achievements, having a happy marriage and two healthy children are tops on my list. But as a team we worked hard all season and really played well in the tournament.”

Ward, the Southern California pitcher of the year, ends the season 36-1, including two no-hitters and winning four games in the State tournament. She was also five for nine with a home run and five runs batted in.

She was 7-0 with six shutouts against Cypress this season. Ward had a no-hitter for the Chargers in a 2-0 victory Saturday night. Cypress beat OCC, 2-0, earlier Sunday to earn another chance at Palomar.

The Comets scored in the top of the first inning, but Cypress came back with a run on an RBI single by Jennifer Johnson. It was only the second earned run that Ward has allowed in 240 innings this season.

The Comets (50-3) broke the tie with a two-run double by Laura Quiroz in the fourth off Leigh Sager (13-8), who took the loss.

Cypress (50-20) had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the sixth but Ward struck out Johnson and got Tina Fuata on a fly to center to end the threat.

In the losers’ bracket final:

Cypress 2, Orange Coast 0--Dena Villasenor retired the final 19 batters and pitched a one-hit shutout for Cypress. It was the second time in the tournament the Chargers defeated OCC (29-15). Johnson had an RBI single in the first inning and Cypress added another run on an error in the fourth.