Rebbeck, Yeatts Play Follow the Leader in Reseda’s 4-2 Victory

Reseda High softball player Kristy Rebbeck says she rarely reads the newspaper--and when she does she certainly doesn’t look at the sports section.

She’s afraid of how she might behave after studying her glaring offensive and pitching statistics, most of which are the best in the Valley Pac-8 Conference.

“I don’t pay attention to stats,” Rebbeck said. “I don’t want them to go to my head.”

The junior pitcher had better keep her blinders on after Reseda’s 4-2 victory over Monroe on Tuesday in game between teams that were undefeated in conference play.

Rebbeck threw a three-hitter, striking out seven and allowing two unearned runs. At the plate, she was two for three and drove in two runs with a home run and a single.

Reseda improved to 10-3, 4-0; Monroe fell to 4-4, 3-1.

Rebbeck, a junior, entered the week leading the Pac-8 in triples (four) runs batted in (19) and stolen bases (12). She also led the conference in wins (five) and earned-run average (1.11).

While those numbers likely will get even better, there is still debate whether Rebbeck is the best player on her team.

First baseman Rosie Yeatts also singled and homered for Reseda, driving in the other two runs.

As Yeatts came to the bench after hitting a high drive over the center fielder’s head, she said, “[Kristy] hit one, so I had to hit one.”

Yeatts entered the week with a conference-leading .600 batting average, and she is currently tied with Rebbeck for the lead in home runs with four.

Reseda’s traditionally mediocre softball program has soared to a 29-4 record since the beginning of the 1995 season, mainly because of Rebbeck and Yeatts, the team’s other pitcher.

Monroe was the latest conference opponent unable to stop Rebbeck and Yeatts.

“They do a good job,” Monroe pitcher Kelley Hall said. “Rosie gives you problems because she’s left-handed.”

Hall (3-3), after coaxing Yeatts into a groundout in the first inning, saw Rebbeck’s first-inning line drive scoot under the glove of left fielder Norma Dorado and roll to the fence for a home run. Yeatts and Rebbeck added back-to-back RBI singles in the third inning to make it 3-0. Then Yeatts led off the sixth with a homer to make it 4-0.

Monroe threatened in the seventh when Noel Miranda followed a single and an error with a two-run single, but Miranda was caught in a run-down and Rebbeck (6-2) got the final two batters to ground back to her.

“We aren’t as good as we used to be, so we’re cautious,” Rebbeck said. “I feel a lot better [after this game]. I had some doubts.”