Foothill Sweeps Aliso Niguel

The Foothill softball team might have some weaknesses, but none were evident in a doubleheader Saturday against Aliso Niguel.

The host Knights, ranked No. 1 in Orange County, swept the second-ranked Wolverines, 5-1 and 4-0, and gave up only five hits in the two games.

Elizabeth Bendig (1-0) went the distance in the first game for Foothill, retiring 18 in a row at one point, and Courtney Fossatti improved to 3-0 by pitching a one-hitter in the second game, facing only one batter over the minimum.

Foothill leadoff batter Caitlin Lowe had four hits and scored two runs in the two games and Erin Mobley and Kristen Mann each had two runs batted in in the second game.

The Knights had 20 hits and nine stolen bases in the two games.

Asked about his team’s weaknesses, Foothill Coach Joe Gonzalez was a bit stumped.

“We missed some signs and took some pitches we shouldn’t have taken,” he said. “But we’re a veteran team that only lost one starter off a national championship team, so it’s hard to tell.”

Foothill (5-0) sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs in the third inning of the first game to take a 5-0 lead, with the speed of Lowe and Autumn Champion helping force two Aliso Niguel errors.

The Wolverines (0-2) finally broke through in the seventh on Lindsay Schafer’s one-out RBI double, but Bendig ended any thoughts of a Wolverine comeback.

The Knights scored two runs in the first inning of the second game, and Fossatti cruised from there, giving up only a clean single to Erin Wallace to open the fourth inning.

Still, Aliso Niguel Coach Joe Miller was far from disappointed about the results.

“We’re a young team and just made a few mistakes,” Miller said, “You have to beat a team like Foothill 1-0 or 2-1, and can’t give up the big inning.

“I think they might have been a little more prepared than us, but I still like playing games like this.”