PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Crouch No-Hits Villa Park

Marina’s Marcy Crouch is at a disadvantage early in the softball season.

When practice began in February, Crouch was leading the Vikings to their third consecutive Southern Section Division I girls’ soccer championship. The week after the title game, Crouch had her wisdom teeth removed. She pitched briefly in relief last week as the Vikings opened with a second-place finish in the Laguna Hills Tournament.

Crouch made her first start Wednesday when the Vikings played host to Villa Park and she pitched a no-hitter with eight strikeouts as Marina beat the Spartans, 1-0.

“There are days when my arm feels really good (early in the season) and days when it doesn’t. Today it felt pretty good,” Crouch said.

Villa Park’s Brandee McArthur was almost as strong.

She gave up three hits and faced three batters over the minimum.

Marina’s Lynette Velazquez hit a triple with one out in the fourth. McArthur’s next pitch was high and hit the backstop before rebounding into the infield. Catcher Kendra Wood could not get to it before Velazquez scored.

Tammy Kincaid was the only Spartan to reach base--on an error to lead off the fifth. A fielder’s choice grounder by Wood was the first out of the inning. Crouch followed by striking out Heather Cagle and catcher Heather Williams threw out Wood at second to end the inning.

Marina is 4-1; Villa Park 5-4.