Taft’s Victory Is Real McCoy

Denisha McCoy hit a two-run single and scored on Melissa Watanabe’s suicide squeeze in the seventh inning to give Taft High a 3-1 victory over Birmingham on Thursday in a West Valley League softball game at Birmingham.

Freshman Gillian Johnson pitched a six-hitter, struck out four and walked one for the Toreadors (11-2, 1-1 in league play).

Jessica Nunez and Cornice Keyes hit doubles for Birmingham (11-5, 0-2).

Dana Finkelstein had two hits for Taft.

El Camino Real 12, Cleveland 0--Melissa Coogan (11-2) pitched a no-hitter, her fourth of the season, struck out 11 and walked one in a West Valley League game at El Camino Real.

Christina Enea was four for four with two runs batted in and scored for the Conquistadores (11-2, 2-0).

Hart 5, Canyon 0--Lindsey Kontra (4-1) allowed two hits and struck out eight in five innings for the Indians in a Foothill League opener at Hart.

Contra had two hits, including a double, and an RBI for Hart (8-1).

Thousand Oaks 4, Agoura 3--Jenni Perez’s two-run fifth-inning triple put the Lancers ahead to stay in a Marmonte League game at Agoura.

Sheridan Fowler had three hits, including a double, and scored two runs for Thousand Oaks (9-1, 4-0).

Simi Valley 1, Westlake 0--Chanel Roehner (3-1) pitched a four-hitter and Lisa Modglin hit a run-scoring single in the fifth for the Pioneers (6-4-1, 3-2) in a Marmonte League game at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park.

Michelle Rehn (4-4-1) pitched a four-hitter and struck out seven for the Warriors (4-4-1, 1-3-1).

Granada Hills 1, Chatsworth 0--Kat Walsh hit an RBI single in the third inning of a West Valley League game at Granada Hills.

Walsh pitched a four-hitter with eight strikeouts for the Highlanders (6-6, 2-0).

Kennedy 5, Sylmar 4--Erika Navarro’s run-scoring grounder in the eighth lifted the Golden Cougars to a Valley Mission League victory at Brand Park.

Navarro (4-2) pitched a six-hitter with no strikeouts and two walks.

Vanessa Lira (2-2) struck out seven and walked one for Sylmar (6-5, 1-1).

Alissa Villanueva drove in two runs for Kennedy (6-3, 2-0), and Krystal Mejia drove in two runs for the Spartans.

Flintridge Sacred Heart 4, L.A. Baptist 3--Jackie Fisher’s run-scoring single in the seventh gave the Tologs (5-5) a nonleague victory at the Glendale Sports Complex.

Lacey Smale was three for three with two triples, one RBI and scored two runs.

Valencia 9, Burbank 0--Lauren Watson had two hits and two RBIs in a Foothill League opener at Valencia.

Ashley Herrera had three hits for Valencia (9-1).

Nordhoff 12, Malibu 0--Whitney Jenks pitched a no-hitter with five strikeouts for the Rangers (7-3, 2-2) in a Frontier League game at Malibu.

Saugus 5, Burroughs 4--Jacklyn Holden’s triple drove in the winning run in a Foothill League opener that went eight innings at Saugus.

Holden had a double, two triples and two RBIs for Saugus (5-5).

BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL

Chatsworth def. El Camino Real, 15-9, 15-7, 15-5--Paul George had 10 kills and 15 assists for the Chancellors (6-1, 2-1) in a West Valley League victory at Chatsworth.

BOYS’ SWIMMING

Taft 104, El Camino Real 64--Waldo Velasco won the 50- and 100-yard freestyles and had a hand in two relay victories to spark the Toreadors to their first victory over the Conquistadores in more than a decade in a West Valley League meet at Pierce.

Sophomore Gary Rotkop won the 200 freestyle in 2:17.67 and swam in two relay victories for Taft (5-1, 3-1).