Layoff Doesn’t Hurt Harvard-Westlake, 9-0

The Harvard-Westlake High softball team had every right to be rusty.

After all, the Wolverines hadn’t played a game in two weeks.

But it was Alemany that appeared out of practice in Harvard-Westlake’s 9-0 victory Monday in a Mission League game at Alemany.

The Indians (8-7, 3-1 in league play) committed eight errors and three pitchers combined to walk six and hit two batters.

The Wolverines (10-2, 2-0) contributed 10 hits to the rout.

“There’s no question that the errors helped us, but we scored some earned runs, too,” said Coach Terry Elledge of Harvard-Westlake.

Making matters worse for Alemany, it had to face Anna Russell, among the top pitchers in the region.

The senior, who improved to 9-1, tossed a three-hitter with eight strikeouts.

Russell, who has signed with the University of San Diego, gave up three harmless singles and Alemany didn’t advance a runner beyond second base.

“I thought it was a pretty good game for me, but it wasn’t my best ever,” Russell said. “It was my first game in [two weeks], but it wasn’t like I stopped working.”

Harvard-Westlake, ranked No. 7 in the region by The Times, took the lead when Lisa Feigenbaum singled home Kim Koral with two out in the first inning.

The Wolverines added single runs in the second and third innings before batting around and scoring three runs in the fourth against Alemany starter Sarita Contreras (7-6).

It was exactly what Harvard-Westlake was hoping for with league games against Flintridge Sacred Heart on Wednesday and Notre Dame on Friday.