Kranz’s Homer in the Fifth Gives Saugus a 2-1 Victory : Softball: The Centurions defeat Hart for second time this week and take 1 1/2-game lead in the Foothill League.

One swing of the bat by Kelli Kranz was all it took for Saugus High to complete a two-game sweep of rival Hart.

Kranz’s fifth-inning solo home run lifted Saugus to a 2-1 Foothill League victory Friday at Newhall Park and gave the Centurions their second victory over Hart this week.

The victory moved Saugus (17-4, 7-0) 1 1/2 games ahead of the Indians (15-5, 5-2), who fell to Saugus, 3-2, on Monday.

Kranz, who struck out swinging her first two times at bat, ripped a pitch from Mary Colleran (14-4) deep to left field and into the wide-open spaces to snap a 1-1 tie. Kranz crossed home plate standing with her second home run of the season.

“She’s been throwing risers, risers . . . she’s struck me out a lot with them,” Kranz said.

“I was looking for (a pitch) and it was there. It was obviously in my zone.”

Kranz’s hit settled a duel between Colleran and Jamie Gillies (14-4), who scattered three hits and struck out one.

“We had more kids hit the ball than we’ve had in quite a while,” Hart Coach Al Weil said. “But they had good defense behind (Gillies).”

Both teams scored in the first inning. Saugus’ Chris Gill, who homered Monday off Colleran, singled sharply to drive home Nicole Giordano.

Hart’s Tracy Clark led off with a walk, advanced to third on a pair of ground balls and scored on a wild pitch.

From there, Saugus placed seven runners in scoring position, but Colleran, who scattered seven hits, stifled each rally.

Gillies was more dominant, retiring 13 of Hart’s final 15 batters.