Davis Gets Win for California

Jennifer Davis was less than perfect on Thursday for Whittier California in a Southern Section Division II softball quarterfinal against Orange El Modena.

“It wasn’t my best day, but it was good enough,” the pitcher said after delivering a one-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give host California a 1-0 victory.

Davis (25-5), a senior who recorded her 14th shutout in her last 15 games, retired El Modena in order only once but worked her way out of several jams and finished with seven strikeouts in a five-hitter. At the plate, she struck out twice and walked once before lining a single to left to drive in Joy Saleapaga.

The Condors (26-5) advance to their third consecutive semifinal on Tuesday and will play at Diamond Bar (21-7), a 1-0 upset winner over top-seeded Corona Santiago.

The run, which was unearned, was the first given up by El Modena’s Lindsay Klein (20-5) in her last 42 1/3 innings. Saleapaga led off the ninth with a grounder to third, which was thrown away by Lauren Smith for a two-base error. Candice Collins’ sacrifice set the stage for Davis.

Klein, who retired the first 12 batters, finished with a five-hitter and struck out five. El Modena (26-5), ranked No. 5 in the Southland by The Times, had reached the Division III final the last two seasons. Jennifer Griffin was two for three for No. 8 California, which avenged a 3-2 loss on March 28 to El Modena.

Diamond Bar’s Brittany LaRosa threw a two-hitter and Marissa Nichols scored on an infield hit by Ryann Horseman to help the visiting Brahmas (21-7) upset Santiago (25-4).

-- Dave Desmond

Fullerton Rosary 3, Simi Valley Royal 0 -- Lindsay Nuckolls’ single drove in one run and, one out later, Kaitlin Cochran’s single drove in two as No. 10 Rosary (24-6) won a Division I quarterfinal at No. 7 Royal. Rosary advanced to play Woodbridge at Barber Park in Irvine.

Rosary loaded the bases on a single and two walks in the first inning but didn’t score in that inning against Royal starter Kirstie Kenton (8-3). Kenton retired 11 consecutive batters before giving up a one-out walk to Alicia De La Rosa and then a bunt single to Nicole Churnock in the fifth inning. Jordan McPherson replaced Kenton, and Nuckolls singled on the first pitch.

Darcie McClelland (21-4) pitched a three-hitter against Royal (22-6), which had scored five times as many runs as its opponents this season. McClelland struck out eight, including the first seven outs of the game.

-- Martin Henderson

Irvine Woodbridge 2, Lakewood 0 -- Kendra Singley scored on a wild pitch in the first inning and on a throwing error in the third for host Woodbridge in a Division I quarterfinal at Barber Park.

Lakewood (20-8) got eight hits and stranded seven runners against Brittany Crouch (22-5), who has pitched all 27 innings for Woodbridge (25-8) in three playoff victories. She had three strikeouts and no walks Thursday.

Chris Ramos went three for three for Lakewood, including a two-out triple down the right-field line in the fifth inning. Devin Porter then grounded out to second. Kelsey Anderson (10-6) gave up three hits and struck out six for Lakewood.

Steve Galluzzo