Harvard Remembers to Win

Fourteen consecutive victories and Harvard-Westlake High softball Coach Terry Elledge wants the Wolverines to forget 13 of them.

The victory Elledge wants to build on is the Wolverines’ 2-1 victory over Louisville on Wednesday in a Mission League opener at Tarzana Park.

“Those 13 [nonleague] wins won’t get us into the playoffs,” said Elledge, whose Wolverines have never been a league front-runner in his 11 previous seasons as coach.

“We need to finish in the top three in the league or they mean nothing.”

Anna Russell’s run-scoring single in the top of the seventh drove in Lisa Feigenbaum to snap a 1-1 tie. Feigenbaum, a freshman who went two for three, tripled down the right-field line to lead off the inning.

Russell (13-0), a freshman right-hander who scattered four hits and struck out seven, finished off the Royals minutes later, retiring the side in order on two popups and a strikeout.

Russell walked four batters and hit another but shut down the Royals in crunch time.

“She’s a quality pitcher and teams are certainly going to have to make their adjustments to get their hits,” Louisville Coach Dana Vasquez said.

Untested in its first 13 games because of a soft preseason schedule, Harvard-Westlake, ranked No. 9 by The Times, looked sharp against an above-average Louisville team, which squandered plenty of opportunities.

Louisville stranded 10 runners, including seven in scoring position.

“There’s only so much a coach can do,” Vasquez said. “The hitters have to come through with the hit.”

Harvard-Westlake (14-0), which starts five freshmen, had nine hits against Stephanie Urman (7-4), who struck out two and walked none. Kim Koral and Russell each had two hits.

The Wolverines’ first run was a gift. After reaching base on a fielder’s choice in the second, Sara Decker stole second and was able to score when the throw from catcher Jemma Santos glanced off the glove of shortstop Christine Jordt and rolled into center field.

Louisville (7-4) tied it in the third. With two out and the bases empty, Jennifer Glennie singled and Santos was hit in the foot with a pitch. Jordt hit a line drive to right field, loading the bases, and Jessica Hanaseth singled home Glennie.