Saugus’ Fast Start Finishes Lancaster

Corrie Atwood (8-2) allowed one hit in five innings and struck out nine to help Saugus High squeeze out a 2-0 victory over Lancaster in a Southern Section Division II first-round softball playoff game Friday at Saugus.

The Centurions (17-9-1), who play La Serna in the second round, scored in the first inning when Kelly Cornelison singled home Julie Watson. Amy Snyder followed with a triple.

Watson finished with two hits.

Heather Nix’s two-out bloop single in the fourth inning was the only hit for Lancaster (7-12).

In other Division II first-round games:

Hart 6, Santa Barbara 2--Lindsey Kontra (11-3) allowed one hit and struck out five in four innings of relief, and had three hits for the Indians in a victory at Hart.

Sara Dean hit a double and single, drove in two runs and scored two, Lorian Jenkins had three hits and Casey Pickard hit a two-run homer for the Indians (22-5-1).

Hueneme 4, Arroyo 2--Tasha Olivares hit a run-scoring triple in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie and then scored on a Emily Otineru single for the visiting Vikings (14-11).

In other first-round games:

DIVISION I

Highland 1, Rancho Cucamonga 0--Nichole Rawson (17-9) pitched a one-hitter and the unseeded Bulldogs scored an upset at fourth-seeded Rancho Cucamonga (23-3).

Meghan Stewart scored for Highland (19-10) on a wild pickoff throw with one out in the fifth. Stewart singled, was sacrificed to second base and advanced to third on a single by Natalie Rawson.

Crescenta Valley 2, Colton 0--Meredith Cervenka struck out eight and finished with a one-hitter for the Falcons at Crescenta Valley.

Annmarie Blodgett and Erica Fernandez each had two hits for Crescenta Valley (21-5).

Camarillo 1, Arroyo Grande 0--Kathryn Nevard pitched a perfect game and Beth Boskovich hit a run-scoring single in the eighth inning at Camarillo (19-7).

It was Nevard’s fourth no-hitter this season.

Thousand Oaks 3, Long Beach Poly 0--Nicole Angelo (11-3) allowed three hits and struck out six, and Lacey Cope had three hits and scored a run for the Lancers at the Thousand Oaks Community Center.

Jenny Cochran had two hits, including a run-scoring triple, for Thousand Oaks (21-8), which pounded out 12 hits.

Quartz Hill 1, Glendora 1--The top-seeded Rebels (24-1) were forced to suspend play after 17 innings because of darkness. Play will resume at 3:15 p.m. Monday at Quartz Hill.

Glendora (15-8) scored in the first inning, but the Rebels tied it on Jodie Cox’s home run in the third inning. Cox (22-1) pitched all 17 innings, striking out 28 while allowing 10 hits..

DIVISION III

Newbury Park 12, Culver City 0--Tawni Yamauchi had four hits and the Panthers won a first-round game at Newbury Park (22-7).

Alyson Blum and Katie Stokx combined on a two-hitter.

DIVISION IV

Harvard-Westlake 4, Oak Park 1--Lisa Feigenbaum hit a run-scoring single and had three stolen bases for the visiting Wolverines (14-14).

Jannel Buckley had two hits for Oak Park (19-5-1).

Notre Dame 3, South Pasadena 0--Amanda De La Cerda pitched a one-hitter, struck out 11 and faced one batter over the minimum for the Knights.

Karen Tobin had two hits, including a run-scoring single in the first, for Notre Dame (20-8).

Chaminade 9, Immaculate Heart 0--Maureen LeCocq (19-2) allowed one hit in four innings, struck out eight and also had three hits for the top-seeded Eagles (21-6-1) in a Division IV victory at Chaminade.

La Canada 8, South El Monte 2--Kelly Kalish pitched a two-hitter to win her fifth consecutive decision and the host Spartans claimed their seventh consecutive victory.

Lauren Guza and Jamie Hurst had two RBIs each for the Spartans (19-7-1).

DIVISION V

L.A. Baptist 10, Cate 0--Nicki Girard pitched a one-hitter and Cindy Shaw had a bases-loaded triple for the host Knights (12-11).

La Reina 5, Crossroads 1--Monica Thompson hit a two-run, two-out double in a five-run sixth for the Regents (20-7).