D’Errico Makes It All Work Out Just Right

Ashlie D’Errico can still hear her father’s voice.

“Relax and see the ball, Ashlie.”

“Be patient, don’t rush it.”

The Highland High freshman catcher followed each of those instructions on Tuesday and hit a bases-loaded double to key the Bulldogs’ 4-0 victory over Crescenta Valley in the second round of the Southern Section Division I softball playoffs at Highland.

Bob D’Errico, Ashlie’s father and the person who taught her how to play catcher when she moved to the position at age 11, was not there to witness the event.

He died outside a Texas bar in September 1996, the victim of asphyxiation. Two bouncers have been charged with the death and are scheduled to stand trial this summer.

“But he’s always with me,” said D’Errico, whose two-out line drive to right-center in the second inning drove in Melissa and Nichole Rawson to break a scoreless tie. “I always hear his voice in the back of my head, and everything he ever told me has worked out.”

Tuesday was no different.

The Bulldogs (24-5) added a third run in the second inning and another in the fifth to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in the program’s six-year history.

“It’s all very exciting,” said Highland Coach Glenda Potts, whose team will face Marmonte League champion Camarillo (20-5) Thursday at a site to be determined. “This gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.”

Through much of the season, Crescenta Valley opponents received nothing but goose eggs from standout Meredith Cervenka.

The freshman right-hander entered the game as the region’s only undefeated pitcher and carried a streak of 71 consecutive scoreless innings.

Cervenka (18-1), battling a sore shoulder, extended her run to 72 innings before two Falcon throwing errors prolonged a Highland second inning that would produce three unearned runs.

“Streaks are for newspapers,” Falcon Coach Dan Berry said.

Katy Gonzales followed D’Errico’s two-run double with a run-scoring infield single.

Melissa Rawson doubled and tripled for the Bulldogs. Her triple off the right-field wall drove in Jennifer Smith with Highland’s fourth run.

Nichole Rawson (8-2) struck out five, walked none and allowed three hits.

Berry won a section title in his first stint at Crescenta Valley (24-6), and preached a team attitude since returning this year after three seasons at Pierce College.

He convinced All-Valley pitcher Melinda Moulden to step aside for the talented Cervenka and focus on her duties at first base. He persuaded outfielder Annmarie Blodgett to sacrifice average in favor of being a role-playing slap hitter.

Those and other moves led to Crescenta Valley’s rise to the top of the Pacific League standings and the second round of the playoffs.

“They had a tremendous year,” he said.