SPRING ROUNDUP : ‘Riders Tying Run Tagged Out at Home

Softball rivalry shifted into high gear Thursday as Garfield beat Roosevelt, 1-0, in a Southeastern Conference game that ended with a double-play at home plate.

Roosevelt, which threatened in the bottom of the sixth, did so again in the last play of the game. With the bases loaded, Garfield short stop Angela Cardenas threw the ball to first baseman Yolie Duran for the second out on a short grounder. Immediately Duran made a perfect throw to catcher Jennifer Inzunza who tagged Blanca Gonzalez in a collision as she was going in for the tie.

The Bulldogs remain undefeated, 5-0, in conference play while Roosevelt fell to 4-1.

With one out in the top of the fifth, pitcher Alma Limon connected on a solid single for the Bulldogs. Left fielder Sonia Gutierrez followed with a single to left field. Then Vanessa Cardona delivered a single up the middle to bring in Limon for the only score.

Those singles were the only hits Roughrider Liz Ballesteros allowed. Arguably the City’s best pitcher, Ballesteros lost her first game of the season.

“They took advantage of their one chance and they scored,” said Roosevelt Coach Robert Drake. “We had several opportunities to score. We just didn’t do it.”

Roughrider catcher Michele Tiger was the only multiple hitter, hitting two singles.

Garfield 3, Bell 1--Limon threw a three-hitter and Alex Abundiz hit a triple that brought in the go-ahead run and the cushion point for the hosting Bulldogs in an Eastern League game Tuesday.

South Gate 15, Fremont 6--Senior Edith Martinez went three-for-four, including a double and triple and three RBIs in the Pathfinders’ Southeastern Conference loss Thursday. Fremont sophomore second baseman Adrianne Barnes made an unassisted double play in the fourth.

VOLLEYBALL

Roosevelt 3, Jefferson 1--After breezing through the first two games by capitalizing on Democrat errors, the unbeaten Roughriders (5-0, 1-0) got sloppy and dropped the third game before trampling their guests in an Eastern League victory, 15-7, 15-2, 5-15, 15-4.

Bell 3, South Gate 0--Ricardo Lopez led all spikers with 19 kills and 12 blocks in helping the Eagles defeat their hosts, 15-13, 15-6, 15-11, in an Eastern League match Wednesday.

Garfield 3, Huntington Park 0--Luis Munoz made 25 assists and Arturo Sanchez spiked eight kills and made six blocks to lead the Bulldogs in a Central League victory Wednesday, 15-13, 15-12, 15-9. The Bulldogs, down 10-1 in the first game, rallied with a 10-point run and took the lead for good at 12-11.

Wilson 3, Belmont 2--The Mules edged the visiting Sentinels, 16-14, 12-15, 8-15, 15-8, 15-8, in a sloppy Northwest League match Wednesday. Sentinel Benhur Collado led all spikers with 11 kills, while teammate Luis Alvarado followed with eight kills. Mule hitter William Umana made six.

SWIMMING

South Gate 99, Bell 56--Three Rams placed first in six of 11 events to triumph in a dual East-North League meet Wednesday at South Gate. Bruce Monroy finished first in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley, Danny Dennis won the 100 free and the 100 backstroke, and Israel Vasquez placed first in the 500 free and 50 free.

South Gate 130, Bell 48--Janet Gomez swam in first in the 200 free and 50 free and Debbie Reyes won the 500 free and 100 backstroke to lead the Rams.

Garfield 101, Eagle Rock 78--The Bulldogs won their first league victory in three years Wednesday at home in a dual East-North League meet. Albert Avilar won the 200 and 500 freestyle and Jorge Caridad won the 50 and the 100 freestyle to lead the boys. Johnny Valleza won his third consecutive first place in diving.

Eagle Rock 91, Garfield 86--Despite breaking the school record in the 400 relay by 11 seconds with a time of 4:23.12, the Bulldogs were out-touched in the final event, which cost them the league victory. Jackie Vavrick, two-time City champion in 200 free and 100 individual medley, beat Garfield’s City hopeful Martha Ramos in the 100 butterfly.

TENNIS

Bell 7, Huntington Park 0--The Eagles, 7-0 in the Southeastern Conference, swept all events. Jose Cardenas won the singles 6-4, 6-0 and No. 3 singles player Anton Chow won 6-0, 6-0 in Southeastern Conference matches Thursday.