SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : DIVISION II : Ortega, Solid Defense Lift La Habra

Dani Ortega and the La Habra softball team are peaking at the right time.

Ortega, a senior right-hander, backed by solid defense and Aimee Weathers’ home run, pitched a two-hitter to defeat Arcadia, 2-0, in the second round of the Southern Section Division II softball playoffs Tuesday at La Habra.

Ortega (22-5), who pitched a perfect game Friday against Los Altos, had a no-hitter through 5 1/3 innings. She struck out five and did not walk a batter for the second consecutive game. She called it “a total team victory.”

“A lot of the games when I strike out a lot of people, they don’t realize how good our defense is. They (Arcadia) were hitting the ball today,” Ortega said.

La Habra (22-5) advances to play Long Beach Wilson, a 1-0 winner over Canyon Country Canyon, in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

The Highlanders scored the only run they needed in the second inning. Stefanie Bakke drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on DeeDee Miranda’s single, and was safe at third when Arcadia pitcher Michelle Myrdahl (11-7) tried to throw her out after Brooke Koehler bunted. Lacy Eshilian then walked with the bases loaded, bringing in Bakke.

Weathers jumped on Myrdahl’s first pitch in the fourth and drove it into the left-center field gap for a home run that capped the scoring. She just eluded the tag of catcher Amy Fletcher.

“Our team is really jelling--we are peaking late,” La Habra Coach Sue Briquelet said. “Every one of our batters was a hitting threat, and that’s what I like. When we score early, like we did today, Dani gets tougher and tougher.”

Arcadia first baseman Mindy Roberts broke up Ortega’s postseason no-hit streak with a one-out single in the sixth. Michelle Zwick followed with a bloop single to left, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. But Ortega struck out leadoff batter Angie Fraschetti and got Linda Richter to fly out to left, ending the only serious Arcadia threat.

Ortega consistently fooled Arcadia (17-8) with a change-up, mixed with her usual repertoire of a screwball, riseball and fastball.

“This is the first time I’ve thrown (a changeup) in a long time,” Ortega said. “All the girls had nice swings so I needed to throw off-speed. I couldn’t rely just on my riseball.”

In other Division II games:

Hacienda Heights Wilson 5, Brea-Olinda 3--Wilson (21-7) scored four runs in the first inning on two triples and two errors and survived a fifth-inning rally by second-seeded Brea-Olinda (19-9). Stephanie Carew had two hits with a solo homer. Samantha Cardenas also had two hits, and Angela Hanes and Gretchen Thompson added RBIs. Andrea Schuette allowed four hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings of relief.

Diamond Bar 4, Sunny Hills 3--Diamond Bar (14-11) scored three runs in the first inning to eliminate Sunny Hills (13-12). Krista Ellefsen had two hits and an RBI for the Lancers. Losing pitcher Bernie Fancuberta (13-8) surrendered five hits, walked one and struck out six.