Woodbridge Wins on Harper’s Hit in 11th Inning

With two outs and a runner at second base in the bottom of the 11th inning, Lolita Harper doubled to left field, driving in the winning run and leading Woodbridge to a 1-0 victory over Santa Maria Righetti in the semifinals of the Southern Section Division II softball tournament Tuesday at Harvard Park.

Harper didn’t take long to figure out where the hit fits into her personal highlight reel.

“It’s the highlight,” she said. “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”

With the victory, Woodbridge returns to the section Division II final, which it won last year.

“[Harper] has probably been the one girl who has been a constant on this team for four years. She just plays like there is no tomorrow,” said Woodbridge Coach Alan Dugard.

Harper plans to attend USC in fall, which does not have an NCAA softball team.

“This is her last hurrah,” Dugard said.

For a while, it seemed as if there would be no hurrah at all for the Warriors (28-5).

Woodbridge didn’t get a runner past second in the first four innings and Righetti Coach Rick Cornejo brought on his ace pitcher, sophomore Jocelyn Forest, in the fifth.

Forest relieved junior Joy Grove and promptly struck out 11 of the next 15 Woodbridge batters through the ninth inning.

“She was overpowering,” Dugard said. “[Cornejo] played his cards very cool.”

Actually, Cornejo said he would have started Forest, but he benched her for missing practice on Monday.

“I’ve got 17 other girls here sitting watching. They made practice, she didn’t,” Cornejo said.

Dugard knew the Warriors just needed to be patient against Forest. Sure enough, with one out in the 11th, Natasha Watley hit a one-out single to center field and Lisa Watanabe sent Watley to second with a sacrifice bunt before Harper drove Watley in for the victory.

Warrior starter Christy Robitaille (21-4) struck out 12 and gave up three hits in her 19th shutout this season.