Bauer Enjoys Last Laugh in Battle Between Local Softball Standouts

Former Foothill outfielder Lauren Bauer, who plays softball for second-ranked Arizona, had a career day May 6 against UCLA and former Pacifica pitcher Amanda Freed.

Bauer went six for six, with two home runs and seven runs batted in to lead the Wildcats to a come-from-behind, 12-9 victory.

Freed led off the first inning with a fly ball to left field and Bauer dropped it for a two-base error. It helped UCLA take a 5-0 lead.

But Bauer’s bobble was her last mistake. She hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth, pulling Arizona within 9-5. Arizona tied it in the sixth inning, 9-9, thanks in part to a two-run single by former Pacifica standout Toni Mascarenas and a sacrifice fly by Fountain Valley’s Lindsey Collins that drove in the tying run.

Bauer delivered off Freed once again in the bottom of the ninth inning, driving a three-run home run to left field.

Bauer is batting .361 with five home runs. Mascarenas is hitting .351 with five home runs. Collins is hitting .335 with 15 home runs and 59 runs batted in.

Freed is 21-7.

DIAMOND DOINGS

Washington sophomore relief pitcher Randy Vanderplow (Santa Margarita High) has struck out 21 and walked only five in his first nine appearances for the Huskies’ baseball team. His best outing was in relief against California earlier this year when he struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings.

George Wing of Seal Beach completed his 11th season as baseball coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills with a record of 296-324. He is four wins shy of taking over the No. 1 spot in career coaching victories at the school. The Toros’ first baseball coach, Robert Bafia, was 299-234-1 from 1973-1982. Current Florida Coach Andy Lopez was 167-153-2 from 1983-1988. Wing began his coaching career at University High in 1978.

Notre Dame left fielder Lizzy Lemire, a junior who played at Woodbridge, was one of seven Fighting Irish players selected to the Big East all-conference softball team. Notre Dame has won five consecutive regular-season conference titles. Lemire is batting .326 with 31 RBIs.

Tiffany Whitton, a pitcher/infielder whose number was retired upon graduation from Brea Olinda last spring, helped Harvard win its second Ivy League softball title in the last three years.

TRACK AND FIELD

Natalie Hallett, a freshman from Marina, and four others failed to make the qualifying height in the pole vault at the Big East finals for Notre Dame, which finished tied for third with West Virginia.

Teammate Katherine Henze, formerly of Foothill, finished 10th in the hammer throw.

WOMEN’S WATER POLO

Senior Stephanie Stephens (Capistrano Valley High) and freshmen Kristin Godeke (Fullerton) and Riley McIntosh (Edison) helped third-seeded Occidental win the school’s first national title in a women’s sport at the Collegiate III championships.

The Tigers, in their sixth consecutive trip to the tournament, beat Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 7-6, in the final at UC Santa Cruz.

Stephens was named to the all-tournament second team.

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