SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : DIVISION III : Irvine’s Flurry in the Fourth Keys 3-1 Victory Over Torrance

Four consecutive hits, and Irvine knocked Torrance out of the Division III softball playoffs with a 3-1 second-round victory Tuesday in Torrance.

Irvine (24-5) will play Moreno Valley Canyon Springs (19-7), a 3-1 winner over Alta Loma, in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Torrance pitcher Deanna Guerrero had a 0.00 earned-run average going into the game, but four Irvine batters took care of that in the fourth.

All of the hits went to the same place, three of them on the first pitch.

“It was our fault,” Torrance Coach Karen Jackson said, referring to herself and her husband John, the other coach. “It was one of those things. We said, ‘Hey they’re hitting the first pitch, we should go out there,’ after the second time, but by that time two runs had scored.”

With one out, Rebecca Smith grounded into center field. Alleah Poulson singled over the head of second baseman Tammy Burchard, then Monika Hollstein doubled in Smith and Poulson. Natalie Tomoguchi singled in Holstein, and Guerrero had an ERA.

“I’m really proud of this team,” Irvine Coach Lisa Baker said. “When they know they can adjust to the pitching, one leads it and they all just follow.”

Torrance (17-4) had a chance to score in the fifth when freshman Wendy Yokoyoma tripled down the third-base line, but the next batter popped up and Smith struck out Guerrero.

The Tartars scored in the sixth off two errors. Kristen White reached first when her grounder hit Hollstein’s ankle. White stole second and came home when Jill Sanford bobbled Dena Scaffidi’s line drive.

The game was by no means one-sided: Torrance left five on base, Irvine four; Irvine had six hits, Torrance five.

In other Division III games:

Laguna Hills 4, Riverside Ramona 0--Misty Thompson had three hits, including a double, and drove in all four runs for visiting Laguna Hills (21-15), which advanced to meet Riverside Arlington, a 3-0 winner over Torrance Bishop Montgomery.

Thompson had RBI singles in the third and seventh innings and drove in two runs with a double in the fifth. Alycia Stevens had two hits and scored two runs for Laguna Hills.

Windy Scofield (13-3) pitched a three-hitter with five strikeouts for the victory. Ramona ends its season 17-8.

Woodbridge 1, Glendora 0--Center fielder Alison Johnsen scored Teresa Dunn with the winning run on a base hit for Woodbridge in the top of the 12th inning. Johnsen, who had three stolen bases in the game, has 60 for the season, breaking the Southern Section record of 59 set by Calvary Baptist’s Carla Black in 1988.

Freshman Corey Washington, who struck out one and walked five in 12 innings, got Woodbridge (25-5) out of a bases-loaded jam in the 11th. The Warriors advanced to meet San Dimas, a 2-0 winner over Montebello. Host Glendora finished 17-7.