Gould, El Camino Real Take Title

Jennifer Gould has come to appreciate City Section titles.

She pitched the El Camino Real High softball team to a 4-A Division title as a freshman, but wondered why it was so important to the seniors that year.

Three years later she has her answer.

Gould and the Conquistadores returned to the winner’s circle after a two-year absence by beating two-time defending champion San Pedro, 4-0, Tuesday in the 4-A title game in front of about 500 at UCLA.

“It was great to come out here and win it as a freshman, but I don’t think I realized what it meant,” Gould said. “Now I do. It would have been very disappointing (if we’d lost).”

Gould (20-4), a senior right-hander who was hindered by back and arm injuries the past two years, pitched a three-hitter and struck out five.

The Conquistadores broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the fifth. With the bases loaded and one out, Courtney Henderson hit a looping single to left field to drive in pinch-runner Latoya Williams for the first run. Ramona Shelburne followed by hitting the first pitch up the middle for a two-run single. The Conquistadores were well on their way to beating top-seeded San Pedro (20-5), which had not lost to a City team in three years.

El Camino Real Coach Neils Ludlow, in his 10th season, wanted his seventh City title for Gould’s sake. “I told my wife before the game, ‘I hope we can win this for Jenny,’ ” he said.

It seems the Conquistadores (20-4), who played error-free, had the same thing in mind.

“We won this for Jen,” said Shelburne, a freshman center fielder whose diving catch proved the defensive highlight. “Jen is just so great. She’s good at everything. She deserves it.”

Gould, who will attend Princeton on an academic scholarship in the fall, worked herself out of big jam in the fourth. With the bases loaded on a double and two walks (one intentional) and none out, Gould escaped on two popups and a strikeout.

Moments later, the Conquistadores started their game-winning rally.

“In playoffs, momentum is important,” San Pedro Coach Tony Dobra said. “We had it with bases loaded and then Miss Gould slammed the door on our toe.”