Luppachini Keeps Lid on Notre Dame

Christina Luppachini is zeroing in on the Mission League softball championship.

One zero at a time.

And the goose eggs are quickly piling up.

Chaminade High’s junior right-hander shut out second-place Notre Dame, 1-0, Wednesday at Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Park, extending an eye-opening streak of league dominance.

With three games remaining, Chaminade (12-7-1, 7-0 in league play) has not allowed a run to a league opponent.

“That is impressive,” Notre Dame Coach Cindy Kramer said.

Luppachini (11-3), who had seven league shutouts last season, has five this season and combined with freshman left-hander Shauna Johnson on two others.

“It’s a goal of mine,” Luppachini said of a scoreless league season. “But my main focus is to just do my job during each game and to do whatever I can for the team.”

Against Notre Dame, that included more than striking out nine in a four-hitter.

She also delivered a smash single to left field in the first inning, driving in Lindsey Weinstein from second for the only run. Weinstein led off with an infield single off the glove of Notre Dame pitcher Amanda De La Cerda (14-4).

De La Cerda did not allow another hit until Tory Yamaguchi led off the seventh with a single and finished with a three-hitter.

“It never ran through my mind [after the first-inning run] that it was over,” De La Cerda said. “She’s an excellent pitcher, but we just didn’t get the key hit when we needed it.”

There were opportunities.

The Knights (15-6, 4-2) had runners on base in each of the first five innings, twice advancing runners to second with less than two out.

But nobody reached third.

Luppachini, who tossed a two-hitter against Notre Dame on Friday in a 2-0 victory at Chaminade Middle School, allowed a one-out double to freshman Cori Blanton in the third before retiring De La Cerda and Stephanie Butler.

In the fourth, Cheryl Acosta led off with a single and went to second on Megan Hayes’ sacrifice. Luppachini retired Katy Wilkins and Katie Sanfelippo.

After Jessica Mundy led off the fifth with a single, Luppachini retired the final nine batters.

Luppachini had plenty of defensive help.

Second baseman Amy Bissinger turned a double play in the first, shortstop Kelly Musgrove made a nice play in the sixth and catcher Yamaguchi stabbed a foul pop-up on an attempted sacrifice in the fifth.

“We’re playing solid defense and making the key plays,” Coach Jessica Creith said. “And Christina is getting stronger and stronger every day.”

It’s a combination that has been good for nothing.

On the scoreboard.