Bulldogs fall flat in league opener

Jeff Tully

No one has to tell the Burbank High softball team and Coach Ken

Schafer the competition in the Foothill League is fierce.

The Bulldogs are just hoping they learned enough, improved enough,

and played enough tough teams in nonleague play to hold their own

against the tough league teams.

Tuesday, Burbank got its first taste of the Foothill League, and

the Bulldogs were left with a bitter pill to swallow after a 3-0 loss

at McCambridge Park.

“We know that every game in the Foothill League is going to be

tough,” said Schafer, whose team is 4-10. “You have to be ready to

give your best against some of the best teams around.

“If you slip up, make mistakes, or don’t hit against one of the

league teams, you’re going to lose.”

Against Saugus (7-4), the Bulldogs could manage just four hits,

and they all came in separate innings.

“The bottom line is we didn’t put the ball in play as much as we

should have,” Schafer said. “We just didn’t have enough offense and

that hurt us. We also struck out too much.”

Burbank had mixed results in its nonleague games. Along with

playing -- and doing well at times -- against competitive schools

like Sun Valley Village Christian, Crescenta Valley and Lancaster

Paraclete, the Bulldogs also struggled against less-than-stellar

teams like San Gabriel and South Pasadena.

“In each game, we just try and look at the things we did right,

and the things we have improved on,” Schafer said.

“Against Saugus, we made some fine plays in the field.”

The Bulldogs’ best chance to score came in the second inning when

third baseman Andy Diaz led off with a double to left-center field.

However, other than a walk by pitcher Jillian Schafer, Burbank

couldn’t generate any more offense in the inning and Diaz was left

stranded.

In the fourth inning, Centurion designated hitter Heather Ventura

led off with a double. However, unlike Burbank, she was able to score

on a fielder’s choice by Danielle Tait.

Saugus added a run in the inning on hits by Hannah Lau and a

run-scoring single by Bridget Hammer.

The Centurions scored their third run in the fifth inning on a

triple by Tiffany Huff and a run-scoring single by Ventura.

Saugus starting pitcher Kyla Sullivan kept the Bulldogs in check

most of the game. Throwing 88 pitches, Sullivan had innings where she

tossed seven, eight and nine pitches. Along with allowing four hits,

she also struck out 11 and walked one.

Schaffer (3-5) threw five innings and suffered the loss, as she

scattered seven hits, struck out two and didn’t allow a walk.

Kelsey Rohr, Rachel Juarez and Kim Peraza also had hits for the

Bulldogs.