SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS : SOFTBALL / DIVISION I : Gieron Gives Mom, Foothill Big Gift With No-Hitter Against Walnut

Foothill’s Marie Gieron gave her mom a late Mother’s Day present, delivering the no-hitter she promised her five days ago, as the top-seeded Knights defeated Walnut, 8-0, in the first round of the Southern Section Division I softball playoffs Friday at Hillview School.

“I wrote in her Mother’s Day card that I promised her a no-hitter in CIF,” Gieron said. “She’s going to be really surprised I did it.”

Gieron (19-2), made 82 pitches in seven innings, walked one and struck out five. It was her first no-hitter of the season.

Things got a little shaky in the late innings, but Gieron was backed up by the strong defense of second baseman Amie Barnes, who assisted on four of the last six outs.

On the last play of the game, Amanda Tippings drilled a shot to Barnes, who knocked it down and fumbled it before making the close play at first.

“I was a little nervous in the seventh,” Gieron said. “My warm-up pitches were all going in the dirt. Then I was thinking about the no-hitter. On the last hit I just looked at Amie and thought, ‘You better get that.’ ”

The Knights (24-2) will play Garden Grove (20-7) in the second round at Mark Twain School. The Argonauts, who finished second in the Garden Grove League to second-seeded Pacifica, defeated Trabuco Hills, 1-0.

Gieron’s task became easier as Foothill scored six runs on five hits in the third and added two more in the fifth.

Gieron helped her own cause, going three for three. In the third inning, she singled to right, driving in Lauren Bauer and Robin Tessman. Jenny Beltran followed with a single to drive in Gieron. Beltran had two hits and a sacrifice on the day.