A Run, Respect All Brea Needs

The Brea Olinda softball team does not get the notoriety or respect of the school’s girls’ basketball team. But that’s understandable, considering what the basketball team--11 consecutive Southern Section Division II titles--has accomplished.

But after their 1-0 victory at Santa Margarita Thursday, to move into the Division III semifinals against La Puente Bishop Amat, Wildcat Coach Sharen Caperton wants her team--21-7-1 but unranked during the regular season--to stop being neglected.

“We were unbeaten in our [Orange] league but we still don’t get any respect,” Caperton said. “No one gave us any [chance] to get this far. That made the kids upset at the start of the playoffs, and they’re showing it.”

Indeed, Santa Margarita Coach Ken Delp did not seem intimidated by Brea Olinda’s victory.

“We had heard they had a good little team, and they do,” Delp said. “But I’d like the chance to play them again. I think on any given day either team could win. They got us today.”

Brea Olinda got Santa Margarita by taking advantage of its one scoring opportunity.

With one out in the fifth, Santa Margarita starter Nicole Bartholomew (12-9) walked Christina Knobbe. Michelle Greenwood put down a sacrifice bunt and Eagle third baseman Jesseka Bartholomew went to second too late. Kelly Nakagawa loaded the bases when her low line drive was mishandled by Eagle first baseman Danielle Manning for an error.

JoAnna Bostick then hit a single to center for the game’s lone run.

“I was determined to get a hit,” said Bostick, who, along with Nakagawa, had the only hits off Nicole Bartholomew. “The ball was kind of high; usually I like the low ball better.”

Santa Margarita (17-12) had seven singles off Brea Olinda starter Tiffany Whitton (10-4), three by Jesseka Bartholomew.

But Santa Margarita’s two best rallies, when they put runners in scoring position on consecutive singles, both came with two outs, and Whitton was able to escape both times.

In other Division III games:

Bishop Amat 7, Sonora 0--The Raiders (23-8) got only one hit and committed seven errors against third-seeded Bishop Amat (23-7).

Newbury Park 3, Valencia 1--Tawni Yamauchi hit a two-out, two-run home run in the fifth inning for host Newbury Park. Yamauchi had the only two hits off Valencia’s Michelle Whiteman, and scored two runs. Whiteman struck out six for Valencia (20-12).

Pitchers Alyson Blum and Katie Stokx (16-4) each got four strikeouts, and gave up seven hits combined for Newbury Park (24-7).

Pacifica 6, Corona Santiago 0--Pacifica, which beat Canyon with a four-run first inning, knocked out Santiago with a five-run fourth inning, which included Mallorie Lenn’s suicide squeeze for the first run. Jessica Soto (21-7) pitched a five-hitter, struck out five and walked one. Tiare Auelua had two RBIs in the fourth inning for Pacifica (22-8), which plays Newbury Park in the semifinals. Santiago finishes 20-8.