Hart Corners Valencia, Registers 5-0 Victory

It’s the corners who give Hart High the edge.

Cousins Kellie and Anna Nordhagen, the Indians’ third baseman and first baseman, have been playing sports together for 14 years.

Although they were members of consecutive ASA national championship softball teams, they are seeking their first Foothill League title at Hart.

A 5-0 victory over Valencia Thursday night at the William S. Hart Complex moved the Indians (13-2, 4-0 in league play) a step closer to their first league title since 1992.

“I hope it’ll happen this year,” said Anna, who doubled and scored in the third inning.

Kellie had two hits, scored twice and flashed a slick glove at third, turning two Valencia smashes into routine ground outs.

Kellie and Anna, who led Hart to four consecutive Foothill League soccer titles, will part ways next year when Anna attends Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Kellie heads to San Diego State.

“It’s very sad,” Kellie said. “We’ve played together for so long.”

Athleticism runs in the Nordhagen blood.

Hart assistant coach Wayne Nordhagen, Anna’s father, played major league baseball. Kevin Millar, Wayne’s cousin, made his debut last week for the Florida Marlins.

Jenny Nordhagen, Anna’s sister, played softball before graduating from Hart in 1996, and sister Jessica, a seventh-grader, is a travel-ball player.

Kellie and Anna, All-Foothill League selections in two sports, will hang up their softball and soccer cleats and focus on academics when they get to college.

“I think they’re both Division I-caliber players,” Hart Coach Al Weil said of Anna, who was batting .315, and Kellie, batting .293.

The Indians, ranked fifth in the region by The Times, have an abundance of talented players.

Sophomore right-hander Amanda Fortune (10-1) struck out six and allowed three hits through six innings for Hart, which has outscored four league opponents by a combined score of 20-2.

Kellie Nordhagen scored the only run Hart would need in the first when she reached base on an error, took second on a wild pitch and third on a sacrifice.

She scored on a ground out by Jocelyn Evans.

Evans, who was involved in a minor automobile accident before the game, also singled.

Freshman catcher Lauren Watson had two of Valencia’s three hits. Gretchen Pawlak added a double.

Valencia (10-6, 2-2), which fell into a three-way tie with Saugus and Burbank for second place, committed four errors and allowed five unearned runs.