Peterson’s Arm and Bat Lift Valencia

Danyale Peterson was having a forgettable softball season until Thursday, when she turned in a memorable performance.

Valencia High’s sophomore center fielder threw out a runner at the plate in the fourth inning and drove in the winning run in the fifth of a 2-1 nonleague victory over Chaminade at Valencia.

“I don’t carry past games with me,” said Peterson, a cleanup hitter who had only two hits in the Vikings’ first eight games. “Every game is a fresh start.”

Valencia (8-1) won its eighth consecutive game.

Chaminade (2-2-1), ranked No. 2 in the region by The Times, had six players playing out of position after getting hit hard by injuries and illness, and committed four errors.

All-Valley first baseman Lindsey Weinstein, who has committed to Kansas, severely sprained an ankle in a game on Monday. Second baseman Erin Molloy is out for the season after tearing a knee ligament two weeks ago and center fielder Shannon Barceloux was sick Thursday and did not play.

Sophomore right-hander Tori Rocco (6-1) of Valencia threw 79 pitches, 60 for strikes, and finished with three strikeouts and a three-hitter.

Chaminade took a 1-0 lead in the first when Tory Yamaguchi singled and scored on an infield single by Shauna Johnson.

Valencia tied it in the third, when Brigham Young-bound catcher Lauren Watson reached on a two-base error, moved to third on a ground out and scored on Jessica Robinson’s infield single.

Christina Lupacchini (2-1) pitched around Watson in the fifth, preferring to face Peterson, who chopped a ball into center field to score Ashley Herrera.

Rocco retired the last nine batters after Peterson nailed pinch-runner Heather Schaffer trying to score on a single by Erin Walsh.