Calvary Chapel Records Third Title in 4 Years

Behind a clutch performance from pitcher Stephanie Williams and RBIs by Sarah Hughes and Rachel Lundquist, Calvary Chapel won its third Olympic League championship in four years with a 2-1 victory Tuesday over Orange Lutheran.

Williams (14-4) outdueled Jessica Edwards (10-3), who had 14 strikeouts.

Calvary Chapel is 14-8, 10-0. Orange Lutheran is 20-6-1, 7-2.

With one out in the fifth inning, the score tied and runners at second and third, Williams struck out two batters on called third strikes. “That was the killer,” Lancer Coach Steve Miklos said.

It might have been worse in the sixth. The Lancers got the first two runners on base, but neither advanced against Williams, who sandwiched a strikeout between two ground balls to third base.

“I’m a very competitive person,” said Williams, a junior who gave up five hits and struck out nine, including the game’s last two. “I looked at this as me against Edwards because we’re kind of rivals.”

Orange Lutheran scored in the first inning on three singles. Nicole Sandburg drove home Laura Miklos, but Rachel Bomgren was thrown out at home plate by left fielder Amerra Kesterson. Sandburg was thrown out at third trying to steal, ending the inning.

Calvary Chapel answered in the fourth when Hughes singled and took second on an error, and scored on Lundquist’s grounder. Hughes’ sixth-inning single drove home Kesterson, who had singled and took second on a bunt.