SOFTBALL / SOUTH COAST LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mater Dei Only Needs a Single Run to Win

Mater Dei came into Friday’s South Coast League softball game averaging more than six runs and San Clemente’s average was in excess of seven runs.

But Mater Dei needed one gift run to top the Tritons, 1-0, at San Clemente.

After the Monarchs (12-2, 2-0) ran themselves out of a chance to score in the first inning, San Clemente junior pitcher Brittany Carlson got hot, retiring 15 consecutive batters. The Monarchs came alive with two out in the sixth, as Lisa Tully bunted for a single. Kelsey Kollen followed with another bunt, reaching safely as Tully rounded second and continued to third as Triton first baseman Heather Hollis held the ball.

Kollen attempted to advance to second but Hollis’ throw to shortstop Samantha Mercier beat the runner by a step. However Mercier dropped the ball while making the tag, enabling Tully to score.

“In softball, you have to make your own breaks,” Mater Dei Coach Doug Myers said. “We feel that the short game is something we can do pretty well, and we’re fortunate to have two quick people at the top of the order who made it work.”

Mater Dei was aggressive on the basepaths in the opening inning with less success. Kollen reached on a one-out error and stole second with the throw going into center field. Kollen continued toward third, but was thrown out. Shealee Dunavan followed with a single that could have given the Monarchs an early lead.

San Clemente (12-2, 1-1) had its best chance in the fifth, when Mercier led off with a single and Carlson followed with a bunt as both runners were safe. Mater Dei nailed Mercier at third on yet another bunt, and winning pitcher Colleen Boddy (12-2) got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground out.

In other South Coast League games:

Capistrano Valley 2, Mission Viejo 1--Capistrano Valley center fielder Cory Kennedy tracked down a ball in the left-center gap and threw a one-hop strike to catcher Sabrina Sexton to cut down a Mission Viejo runner at the plate and end the game.

Trabuco Hills 7, Dana Hills 1--Vanessa Saavedra (6-1) pitched a two-hitter for host Trabuco Hills (8-4, 2-0). Laurel McLatcher was two for two with one run scored for the Mustangs.