SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS : Los Alamitos Comes Through : Division I softball: Tredway’s two-run homer gives Griffins 2-0 victory over San Clemente.

They are among Orange County’s best clutch hitters and have the numbers to prove it.

San Clemente’s Heather Hollis had driven in 38 runs this year--more than anyone in the county.

Los Alamitos’ Cyndi Tredway had driven in 24.

But in the first round of the Southern Section Division I softball playoffs Friday, only Tredway came up big.

Her two-run homer gave Los Alamitos a 2-0 victory over the Tritons and put the Griffins (19-6) in a second-round game Tuesday against Canyon.

“The pitch was low and down the middle,” said Tredway, a sophomore, who hit Brittany Carlson’s one-strike pitch like a one-iron. “I usually don’t like them low.”

But this time, Tredway got her arms extended and ripped a low line drive over the outstretched arm of left fielder Jessica Hellyer.

By the time Hellyer retrieved the ball and shortstop Samantha Mercier’s relay throw reached home plate, catcher Mellisa Naylon had drifted up the third-base line. Tredway got safely past as the ball was arriving, though it would have been a close play had Naylon stayed closer to home.

The homer--Tredway’s second of the season--also drove in leadoff batter Amanda Peterson, who had reached third on an error and sacrifice bunt.

Each team had three hits.

Peterson also played a big role with her defense.

With Jamie Stark on second, Hollis--who had four home runs--hit a line drive to center field that Peterson snagged. Peterson caught Hellyer’s line drive to the left-center field alley in the second inning that would have gone for extra bases. In the third, with runners at second and third, Kelli Baker’s liner to left-center was caught by Peterson on the run.

“Center field,” Hollis said, “was a black hole.”

Hollis had another opportunity to add to her RBI total in the sixth inning, when San Clemente (19-8) got two of its three hits off Mandy Rockwell (9-0).

With runners on first and second, Baker’s bunt was picked up by Los Alamitos catcher Jennifer Slaney, whose throw forced the runner at third. Hollis then grounded the first pitch to shortstop, where Michelle Schneider tagged the passing runner. Samantha Mercier then singled to center, but no one challenged Peterson’s arm. Hellyer’s one-hopper to Rockwell ended the inning.

“I was overly aggressive,” Hollis said. “Everything looked good, but [Rockwell] had some weird up-spin on the ball. That was our main problem--we couldn’t hit the ball on the ground.”