Triple Helps Griffins Trip Up Barons

Los Alamitos softball Coach Jami Shannon had no idea when the season began that her team would be a triple threat.

Not pitching, hitting and defense. Triple. As in one base short of a home run.

Sara Kahler hit the eighth-ranked Griffins’ 11th triple of the season on Thursday to put away host Fountain Valley, 2-0, in a showdown between Sunset League favorites.

Los Alamitos, the only team in the Sunset League that is ranked, improved to 12-5, 2-0 in league. Fountain Valley, ranked fifth in the preseason but unranked now after facing one of the county’s toughest schedules, dropped to 8-11, 0-2.

“I wouldn’t want to lose more than two games in this league,” Shannon said. “The Sunset League this year will be competitive. I think the teams that come through with the clutch hits and play good defense will win.”

Los Alamitos got its clutch two-out, run-scoring base hits from Kahler and Dinha Mead to put the pressure on the defending league champion. Fountain Valley has won or shared seven of the last 15 league titles.

A walk, an error and Mead’s soft line drive over the shortstop scored Brook Donberg in the top of the first inning. The Griffins put it away in the fifth. With two outs, Cyndi Tredway singled and Kahler hit her fourth triple, giving her 14 runs batted in.

“She creamed it [to right-center field],” Fountain Valley Coach Cary Baker said. “It was a good pitch, at the knees. She’s a great hitter. The second run kills you.”

It was Los Alamitos’ 11th triple. By contrast, the Griffins have only three doubles.

“It’s the first year I’ve had so many triples,” said Shannon, who is coaching in her 19th season.

It provided some breathing room for the Griffins, who survived Fountain Valley’s best scoring opportunity in the sixth.

Facing reliever Mandy Rockwell (4-4), Lindsey Collins singled, but was called out for leaving too soon during her leadoff. It was the second time a Baron runner was called out for leaving too soon.

“That was nice,” Shannon said. “Most umpires don’t have the guts to call it. But these kids are taught to get a good jump. [Kahler, the catcher] said, ‘That’s why it’s tough being a catcher.”

It was huge because Fountain Valley rallied. Rocky Staniorski doubled and Lisa Layton singled to put runners at the corners, but the threat died with a strikeout.