Good Fortune Continues as Hart Eliminates Glendora

Hart High capitalized on four errors for four unearned runs in a 4-1 softball victory over Glendora on Tuesday in a Southern Section Division II second-round playoff game at Newhall Park.

Amanda Fortune (13-1) had a season-high 11 strikeouts as the Foothill League champion Indians (23-5) advanced to Thursday’s quarterfinals, where they will face Thousand Oaks (24-5-1).

“My ball was moving a lot and they’re a real aggressive hitting team and that helped a lot,” said Fortune, who has signed with Illinois.

Fortune allowed one hit over the first five innings. She was relieved by Lindsey Kontra to start the sixth, but returned after Kontra surrendered a one-out single to Lauren Noriega, the Tartans’ No. 9 hitter, and walked leadoff hitter Beth Burchell.

Fortune got Stephanie Fields to foul out to first baseman Jocelyn Evans and induced Ashley Werschkey to ground out to second baseman Erica Duhart.

Hart scored twice in the first without a hit. With one out, Carly Caldaronello reached first when first baseman Rachel Connors dropped shortstop Tami Carter’s throw. Werschkey (13-3) walked Evans and Casey Pickard, loading the bases.

Fields, Glendora’s third baseman, bobbled Kontra’s grounder for an error, allowing pinch-runner Megan Allen to beat her throw to the plate. Duhart’s grounder to short forced Evans at the plate, but Pickard scored when catcher Andee Tarazon’s throw to first for an attempted double play went into right field.

The Indians added two runs in the second when Evans’ two-out fly ball went off Burchell’s glove in center for a three-base error, scoring Sara Dean, who singled, and Caldaronello, who reached first on a fielder’s choice.

“Our whole thing all year has been make the routine play, and we picked the wrong day not to make the routine play,” said Coach Rod Tilton of the Tartans, who won the Baseline League title. “You can’t afford to do that against a program like Hart and a pitcher like Amanda.”

Glendora (21-3-1) scored in the seventh. Tarazon singled to lead off the inning and Carter followed with a double. Designated hitter Kristy Gunderson grounded out to Fortune, who held the runners at second at third.

Emilee Hanson’s sacrifice fly drove in Tarazon. Connors grounded out to second to end the game.

“I don’t think we really believed we could play with them until the fourth or fifth inning,” said Tilton, whose team out-hit Hart, 4-3. “They’ve been here before, we haven’t.”