One All-Star Gets to Pitch All the Game

No doubt about it, Hoover High pitching ace Nancy Evans is a tough act to follow.

But Glendale ace Cyndee Bennett, Evans’ teammate in Wednesday’s San Fernando Valley All-Star softball game, was prepared to try. Her dilemma, however, wasn’t trying to measure up to Evans. Bennett’s problem was simply getting a sliver of a chance. She never did.

Evans, bound for the University of Arizona, threw all nine innings of the senior all-star game and led the the East to a 4-0 victory over the West at Cal State Northridge.

As usual, Evans, a two-time Southern Section Division II co-player of the year, was extraordinary. She allowed only two hits and a walk, struck out 15 and was named most valuable player. For Evans, it was an exceptional game that marked the end of her high school career.

For Bennett, a pitcher and shortstop who will play for University of Utah next season, it was a bit disheartening.

Kirt Kohlmeier, who coached Evans at Hoover for four years, coached the East team along with Ruben Zepeda of Grant. Kohlmeier decided Evans would complete the game--a choice that surprised and disappointed Bennett.

“I was at least expecting to pitch the last two innings,” Bennett said. “He had me warm up. He said, ‘We’ll see how Nancy’s arm feels.’ ”

Evans’ arm felt great. Evans looked as strong in the last three innings as she did in the first three. She retired the first nine batters she faced, five by strikeout. Ditto for the last nine.

“It was a great day,” Evans said. “I had fun out there.”

Evans’ complete game prompted ill will from opposing West Coaches Suzanne Manlet of Simi Valley and Donna Hetman of Taft, who used all three of their pitchers.

“(Bennett) should have been given every chance to play her best position, which was pitcher,” Hetman said. “That’s the whole purpose of an all-star game, to show everybody’s talents.”

Manlet, who said there should be a rule instituted to stop this from happening in the future, was not pleased by Kohlmeier’s decision.

“About the fourth inning, I asked him if she was gonna pitch the whole game,” Manlet said. “He didn’t say a word. He just looked at me and smiled. He didn’t comment on it at all. He was obviously making a statement.”

Kohlmeier said he did not feel he had done anything wrong.

“Hey, it’s my last game (with Nancy),” he said. “In an all-star game, if I want to see her pitch and not have to pay for it, that’s my prerogative.

“If their starting pitcher had done well, I don’t think they would have changed her.”

West starter Laura Richardson of Camarillo allowed Brandi Macias’ RBI single in the first, which scored Evans, and Evans drove in Hoover teammate Kelly Christiansen in the second.

Richardson, who is bound for San Luis Obispo, went four innings and was relieved by Brandy Brennan of Granada Hills in the fifth. Taft’s Julie Kawamoto relieved in the eighth.

Brenda Lyon of Hoover went three for four with two doubles for the East, which collected nine hits.