Error Deflates North’s Bid for Victory

It seems even all-star games, with their collection of the best seniors around, are decided like most regular-season contests.

On an error.

It provided the only run Wednesday, giving the South a 1-0 victory at Brea Olinda High in the North-South all-star softball game.

It made a winner of El Toro’s Suzanne Guy, who will attend Harvard in the fall, and put most valuable player Christy Robitaille on the winning team.

“It comes down to whoever breaks first,” said Foothill’s Rosie Gustavson (North Carolina), an outfielder involved in a key defensive play that protected the lead. “Everything counts. Every single play in the game can decide the outcome. That’s what makes the game so exciting.”

Mater Dei’s Kelsey Kollen (Michigan) got aboard when La Habra’s Christina Gibbons (Ball State) couldn’t handle the throw at first base. Woodbridge’s Nichole Thompson (Arizona State) laid down a sacrifice bunt, and an out later, Mater Dei’s Monica Lucatero (Cal State Fullerton) hit to El Modena shortstop Chrissy Lake (Chapman).

“I ran into an out in a travel ball game on Sunday,” Kollen said. “I slowed down [tonight] to make sure she wouldn’t tag me. I may have distracted her.”

Lake’s throw to first base was wild and Kollen scored.

The North had a chance to tie the score in the bottom of the fifth. Lake singled and took second on a bunt but was thrown out at home after a single by Kelly Bunker (San Diego State). Gustavson, a left fielder stuck in right, threw to first base attempting to get Bunker, and then Lucatero threw to Marina catcher Alicia Velazquez, who held on in the inning-ending collision.

In the sixth, Lucatero threw out Becky Tippets (Regis) at third base for the second out.

In the seventh, Woodbridge pitcher Robitaille (CS Fullerton) got a game-ending ground ball with a runner at third base.

Robitaille pitched the first two innings and the seventh, struck out four and gave up one hit.

In one of the game’s best individual confrontations, she struck out Brea’s Geney Orris (Nevada Las Vegas), the Southern Section career home run record-holder with 30. “That was kind of a big deal,” said Robitaille, whose 86 wins are a county record.

North-South All-Star Game

South 1, North 0

South 000 010 0--1 4 2

North 000 000 0--0 5 2

Robitaille, Guy (3), Hagen (5), Robitaille (7) and Kirby, Velazquez (5); Gibbons, Ledford (2), Crouse (3), Orris (5) and Kimura, Bunker (4). W--Guy. L--Crouse.