Granada Hills Ready To Go Distance

The top-seeded team in the City Section playoffs, San Pedro, will play Granada Hills on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the Championship Division playoffs. The Pirates better be prepared for the long haul, because Granada Hills has already proved it is.

The Highlanders (25-8) advanced with a 15-inning, 1-0 victory Thursday over San Fernando. Both pitchers -- Granada Hills’ Kat Walsh and San Fernando’s Selena Salazar -- had no-hitters through eight innings. Salazar lost her no-hitter in the ninth, Walsh in the 10th. Walsh pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 15th.

Salazar struck out 15 and gave up seven hits, including Eliana Cortes’ single, which led to an error by the left fielder that allowed Jessica Patton to score. Walsh, who struck out 16, allowed two hits and walked nine.

San Pedro is 26-3 this season and ranked 11th in the Southland.

“Six of my nine batters faced their pitcher [Ashley Esparza] last year,” Granada Hills Coach Carolyn Gunny said. “They know what San Pedro has.”

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Anaheim Savanna (21-5, 9-1), which won its first league title in 14 seasons behind senior catcher Vivian Garcia -- she had seven home runs and 37 RBIs, didn’t mind sharing the Orange League title with Anaheim Western (15-8, 9-1). It was Savanna’s first league title in 14 years. On Friday, it won a coin flip and will go into the Division III playoffs as the first-place team.

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-- Martin Henderson