Lindsey Collins : Fountain Valley, Fr.

Softball / Left fielder

Entering last week, Fountain Valley wasn’t receiving much notice in the Sunset League softball race. Thanks in large part to Collins, that has changed. Wednesday, she had two hits, including a three-run home run, and drove in four runs in the Oilers’ 7-1 victory over Marina, then the top-ranked team in the county. Friday, she hit a home run in a 1-0 victory over then-No. 6 Huntington Beach. She now has three home runs and eight runs batted in in three league games for the first-place Barons (7-5-1, 3-0). Collins is batting .421.

* Carrie Brown, Woodbridge, was three for four with three RBIs in a 7-4 victory over Irvine.

* Beth Merkle, Mission Viejo, won the 400 in 58.1 seconds, 300 hurdles (47.2), long jump (16-9 3/4) and anchored the 400 relay in the victory over El Toro.

* Gina Heads, Newport Harbor, won the shotput in 44 feet 6 inches and the discus in 133-11 1/2 at the Trabuco Hills Invitational.

* Kathy Ponce, Ocean View, struck out 17 in a 15-inning complete-game victory over Rosary and had a two-run homer in a 15-0 win over Edison.