California Strong-Arms Royal

Whittier California continued to ride the pitching of junior Jennifer Davis, who threw her third consecutive playoff shutout to beat Simi Valley Royal, 1-0, in a Southern Section Division II quarterfinal Thursday at Rancho Simi Community Park.

Davis (20-4) struck out six and walked one in a one-hitter. In 21 innings, the right-hander has struck out 23, walked one and allowed two hits. California (26-5), ranked No. 7 by The Times, scored with two out in the first, when freshman Jenn Griffin tripled over the left fielder’s head to score freshman Krysty Calzada. Calzada reached base on a two-base throwing error.

California, a finalist last season, will play host to Placentia El Dorado, a 2-1 winner over top-seeded Santa Ana Foothill, on Tuesday in a semifinal.

Davis had not allowed a hit since a leadoff single in the first inning of the first round. Her streak of 18 consecutive no-hit innings ended when Nichole Mears of fourth-seeded Royal (25-6-1) blooped a single to left-center to lead off the fifth.

Royal’s most serious threat came in the fourth, when an error and a botched fielder’s choice gave the Highlanders runners on first and second with none out. Davis struck out the next three batters on nine pitches.

The game was the last for Royal Coach Kelly Lovato, who inherited a struggling program two years ago and went 37-14 and won the Marmonte League championship this season, the Highlanders’ first since 1980. Lovato is moving on to resurrect the softball program at Mission College.