This Time Chaminade Beats Rosary to Reach Division IV Final

Top-seeded West Hills Chaminade, which lost to Rosary in last year’s semifinals, avenged that defeat on Tuesday with a 1-0 victory over the fourth-seeded Royals in the Division IV softball semifinals.

It was the 20th consecutive victory for the visiting Eagles (24-6-1), who play unseeded Bloomington on either Friday or Saturday at Mayfair Park in Lakewood.

Third baseman Erin Taylor, who has committed to Miami of Ohio, slugged a double to left center in the third inning that drove in freshman Shannon Barceloux.

That was enough for Stanford-bound Maureen LeCocq (22-2), whose 13th consecutive shutout came on a two-hitter.

Her defense made several key plays. Taylor’s diving stab robbed Lauren McIntosh on a line drive. Catcher Lauren Rousselet made a diving catch of Danielle Guerra’s foul pop up with two runners on base in the second, then threw out Erin Hogan attempting to steal third base moments later.

Taylor and Barceloux each had two of the Eagles’ five hits.

The loss ended a 15-game winning streak for Rosary (23-9), which had scored 17 runs in its first three playoff games.

But a lineup that featured six hitters with averages better than .370 couldn’t get a runner past second against LeCocq, who improved to 69-26 in high school.

That Royal lineup included seven underclassmen.

“We’re looking forward to doing this again,” Rosary Coach Tom Tice said. “It’s not like we won’t be back to this point again for another decade.”

Sophomore left-hander Mallory Anderson (12-4) struck out three and walked two for the Royals.