Big Third Inning Is the Difference as Foothill Defeats Kennedy, 3-1

Foothill scored three runs in the third inning and beat Kennedy, 3-1, in the second round of the Southern Section Division I softball playoffs Tuesday.

The Knights (23-6) advanced to Thursday’s quarterfinals to play second-seeded Los Alamitos (23-4), which beat Ventura Buena, 2-1.

Kennedy (21-6-1) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning with some help from the Foothill pitching staff. Marie Gieron and Robin Tessman walked six in the first three innings. Gieron walked three in the second inning and escaped thanks to a popup and a strikeout. But she wasn’t as fortunate in the third.

After Laurie Fritz struck out on a 3-2 pitch to open the inning, Gieron walked Jamie Pietranowicz. Tessman then came in and walked Crystal Geringer, moving Fritz into scoring position. Lisa Pitt followed with an RBI single to left-center field.

Foothill bounced back with a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning, scoring three times despite only one hit leaving the infield.

No. 9 hitter Lauren Bauer (two for two) started off with an infield single and stole second. Michelle Churnock followed with a ground ball to the left side. Shortstop Fritz went to her right to field the ball and attempted to tag Bauer sliding into third, but the Foothill freshman slid around the tag. Carley Rutledge singled to left to score Bauer. Robin Tessman followed with a ground ball to short, which Fritz threw away for a three-base error. Churnock and Rutledge scored on the play for a 3-1 lead.

Gieron returned to the pitching circle in the fourth and gave up only two hits the rest of the way for the save.